(88,56,'1/2/05','Ship is gorgeous and would do Costa again Will they do right by me? Hope so &#33;&#33;  Fun cruise fun ship.  Enjoyed Italian style&#33;&#33;&#33;','After all our misery with US air -25, hour wait at airport after cancellation of our flight . Arguing to get out in time for our ship ( all flights booked thru Costa)which we did miss   <br /><br /><br />Total lack of co-operaation or care from US air staff (including LILIANE a superviser who walked out on me because she was tired &#33;&#33; like we weren&#39;t ???)re hotel and food vouchers ,we did arrive in Cozumel via Chicago on United the following day and were greeted by a Costa REp who took us to a litle hotel called Casa del Mar .   <br /><br />Costa covered hotel but no food so I sent my bills to them to get a refund . We will see how they handle this. I was travelling with my 2 boys 10 &amp; 13 so providing meals for all of us should not have been a stretch   <br /><br />After a long wait at the dock in Cozumel with all our luggage the following day a purser did finally come and get us and we did board . A very pleasant purser Rafael from Brazil on ship took care of us and continued to do so for the rest of the cruise&#33;&#33;&#33; Finally got to our cabin and rushed out to enjoy Chankannab .  <br /><br />We booked a balcony cabin (Obstructed ) but loved the sound of waves and seabreeze every night -kept door wide open .Balconies are the best -I wish they were always cheap&#33;&#33;&#33; Highly recommended&#33;&#33;&#33;  <br /><br />Food and srevice was quite adequate and always plentiful with various juices during the day and at Night very well presented and quite good. Waiters were polite - quick to change courses if not to one&#39;s taste. Lamb and lobster were A-1 and my boys loved the steaks.Portions small -but since choices were limitless -less waste. Midnight buffets AMazing in size -display -and variety   <br /><br />Entertainment was charming -very saltimboca-. One night there were 4 Mediteranean shows in different lounges and you needed a passport to go from one to the other -felt like a scavenger hunt -very different very enjoyable . A buffet of the regions presented followed for those hungry- not us we chose late dining . Atmosphere in dining room was like an Italian wedding every night -even had a candlelit dinner once&#33;&#33; Waiters sang and danced for us every night -Great Fun &#33;&#33;&#33;   <br /><br />Stops in Cozumel and Grand Cayman . Chankanaab has great snorkelling take a cab pay fee and snorkel -BRING WATER SHOES SHARP ROCKS TO ENTER Go see dolphin show   <br />Grand Cayman -go to Stingray city - what lovely soft friendly creatures - a real thrill .Try Captain Marven 2 blocks from dock . Nice friendly people.34&#036; 2 stops   <br /><br />Ocho Rios - Falls are slippery Kids went- I did not and could have skipped the whole thing . Pushy vendors -Left early - Not impressed   <br /><br />Would have preferred another stop .  <br /><br />Shopping on board different because of Italian goods-bought most gifts on board.  <br /><br />Overall not bad cruise will have better and accurate opinion of Costa if I get a refund for expenses and compensation for our 25 hour ride from hell with US air and discount on next one . After all we missed 2,5 days out of seven. If they were responsible and compensatory I would highly recommend this company .  <br /><br />We will see&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33; Time will tell  <br /><br />Toga party is a hoot and super fun on last night . They give the sheets so less to pack at last minute.. Disembarkation was organized and relativelly quick except for customs who took their sweet time. Airport was a madhouse -flight on time this time with US air again -no food available not even to buy&#33;&#33;&#33;  <br /><br />HOW CHEAP CAN YOU GET&#33;&#33;&#33;I will not willingly fly with US AIR EVER AGAIN&#33;&#33;&#33; Is it a wonder theses guy&#39;s are going under. With such crappy service I&#39;m surprised they are still around. What a rinky -Dinky company. They should teach their agents people skills if they hope to survive.  <br /><br />Ship is gorgeous and would do Costa again Will they do right by me? Hope so &#33;&#33; <br />Fun cruise fun ship .Enjoyed Italian style&#33;&#33;&#33; <br /><br />Michele',1170961111,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]costa.gif',1812,'mmemichele',1,135,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(87,55,'12/29/06','Our Zenith New Year cruise Dec 29, 2006 to Jan 8, 2007','Ship Facts  <br />Occupancy: 1370 <br />Tonnage: 46,811 <br />Length: 682 feet  <br />Beam: 95 feet  <br />Draught: 24  <br />Cruisespeed: 21.4knot <br />Inaugural Date: Apr 04, 1992   <br /><br />Date Port/City Activity Description<br />Fri, Dec 29 Tampa, Florida Boarding Depart 4:30 PM  <br />Sat, Dec 30 At Sea  <br />Sun, Dec 31 George Town, Grand Cayman Tendered Arrive 9:00 AM Depart 5:00 PM  <br />Mon, Jan 01 At Sea  <br />Tue, Jan 02 Puerto Limon, Costa Rica Docked Arrive 7:00 AM Depart 6:00 PM  <br />Wed, Jan 03 Colon, Panama Docked Arrive 8:00 AM Depart 5:00 PM  <br />Thu, Jan 04 At Sea  <br />Fri, Jan 05 Roatan, Honduras Docked Arrive 10:00 AM Depart 5:00 PM  <br />Sat, Jan 06 Cozumel, Mexico Docked Arrive 10:00 AM Depart 7:00 PM  <br />Sun, Jan 07 At Sea  <br />Mon, Jan 08 Tampa, Florida Departure Arrive 7:00 AM   <br /><br />We started our cruise vacation by driving to Lake City, FL on Dec 26, spending the night at the new Holiday Inn, and on to Tampa for two nights at the Hilton Westshore on Lois Ave. They offer free cruise parking and a &#036;10 shuttle fee to the port. Our room rate was &#036;99 per night. Rita&#39;s son and girlfriend met us at the hotel and we drove to the International Mall which is only about 1/2 mile from the hotel. Our intentions was to dine at the Cheesecake Factory, however the wait was to long so we went to a Sports Bar in the same complex. I had bought Rita a new gown for Christmas, however it did not fit so she found a blue one at the mall--and at a great price&#33;  <br /><br />The next day cruise passengers started to arrive at the hotel and we were recognized from the roll call board from that other board that we only use for that purpose. Basically the party started at the hotel bar and ended when the cruise ended. We met some great folks from all over, including a contingent from England. Ellie and Frank from Orlando became very good friends and we will try to cruise with them again. We did a gift exchange with a total of eighteen of us on our first sea day. I got a bottle of scrumpy and a tea towel from England and Rita also received a tea towel and a British calendar.  <br /><br />Cruise embarkation day began right after breakfast with our 10:30 a.m. shuttle to the port. This was the fastest and most proficient boarding we&#39;ve had for our now fifteen cruises. We were sitting by the pool having the drink of the day (Bon Voyage) by 11:15&#33; The buffet opened at 12:15 and our staterooms were not available until 1:00.  <br /><br />We had the customary muster drill at 3:45 and the sail away at 4:30, which was actually on time. We did notice a lot of wear and tear on the pool deck. Since the ship has been sold by Celebrity and is leaving the fleet in April we can understand wear. What we could not understand was the filthy windows and no one cleaning them.  <br /><br />Our stateroom, 9053, was located mid-ship port side on the Bahamas deck. It was an obstructed view cabin. We had a similar cabin on the Horizon that had a pretty good partial view. This one did not. We could only see some of the ocean beneath the lifeboat. The size was okay which plenty of storage. The bed was not to comfortable, however if you get in late and tired it was adequate. We were only 2 flights up to the pool and buffet, one down to the casino, and two down to the dining room.  <br /><br />We dined late (8:30) at table 10 in the Caravelle Restaurant with couples from England, NC, and CA. Our waiter and assistant waiter gave us all great service for the duration of the cruise, which included plenty of bread sticks we asked for the first night. The food presentation was good, however the food and choices were a little disappointing, at least to us. Other opinions at our table varied from ours to superb. It was not that the food was bad to us, just not as good as other ships we&#39;ve cruised. The food was definitely better than what we get back home again in Indiana. Maybe we are getting to spoiled&#33;  We also had open seating breakfast three or four times and lunch a couple times and the service was very good. The food was average, however average works.  <br /><br />While we are on the subject our food we must say the buffet food in the Windsurf Cafe was very good, especially the waffles for breakfast and the spaghetti in the pasta grill for lunch.  <br /><br />We did attend the Martini tasting seminar the first evening (shaken not stirred) and met a very nice couple from Atlanta, whom are both airline pilots. We also met a nice couple from Charlotte who turned out to be table mates. The seminar was in the Rendez-Vous Lounge which had a Ukrainian husband and wife team called Rhythm of the Night Duo. They played diner dance music, including waltz, rumba, fox-trot, cha-cha-cha, and some swing, and were pretty good. We went there most evenings. We also went up to deck 11 to the Fleet Bar to listen to guitarist/pianoist Simon Belair from Montreal. He did requests from us and we enjoyed his music. We only saw one other couple dancing there besides us. He commended us one evening for dancing a cha-cha while the ship was bouncing around in the wind and waves. We must have been under the influence that counterbalanced up to the upright position. I will write move about the rough ride later.  The party band Roots Link, from Jamaica mon was also very, very good. They played pool side and in the Rainbow room late night. We usually semifinished the night there. The actual finish was in the casino after all the music was over.  <br /><br />Three of the ports of call were exciting for us as places we&#39;ve never been. The Caymans was our first stop, and since we&#39;ve been there many times, we stayed aboard and enjoyed our day at the pool and winning prizes playing ring toss and winning the Motown music trivia contest, with help from Ellie&#33; After leaving the Caymans on New Year&#39;s Eve on the way to Costa Rica, they ship had to turn around to take an injured passenger back to the Caymans for hospital care. We heard later that the passenger will be okay. Our arrival in Costa Rico was delayed until about 1:30 in the afternoon, which meant cancellation of a lot of tours. We actually heard people complaining of how awful in was for the Captain to turn around. There is nothing wrong with being disappointed on missing a tour, but to actually complain about the Captain&#39;s decision. Unbelievable&#33; What if he had been one of their friends or relative.  <br /><br />The port was new for us. We just got off the ship with a group of others and toured the city, Puerto Limon. Not much to see.  Our next stop was another new one for us, Colon Panama. We had the domed train tour scheduled, however since the train was not full our tour was canceled. No big deal. As they say, sh** happens. We booked a Gatum Locks tour of the Canal and a river excursion. After the excursion we walked a trail thru a rain forest. We took a lot of photos including, monkeys, birds, and even a crocodile. It was a very nice tour. We had heard that Colon itself is not a place to be on your own. After riding thru twice we certainly understand why.  The next day we stopped at another new port for us, the isle of Roatan, which is a part of and just off the coast of Honduras. We did some nice shopping there and bought wood bracelets for all our grandkids and daughters We also bought a nice wood carving for our oldest daughter who was getting our mail, etc while we were away. We enjoyed this island.  <br /><br />Our final stop was Cozumel which we&#39;ve been many times. We docked where the auto ferry docks next to Senior Frogs. We just got off and walked around that shopping area and bought a few things and took photos with the parrots on our heads. Now we are real parrotheads&#33;  <br /><br />Our last day at Sea was Jan 7, my birthday. I received a present from Ellie and Frank and a nice card from our British table mates, and a real nice one from Rita. She said I have to wait for my present at the birthday party my daughters are having for me and our oldest granddaughter on the Saturday after we return home.  <br /><br />In summary we had a great time and met a lot of very nice folks. It was a very good cruise for us. The exception would be how the ship rocked and rolled. Many passengers became ill and one evening it was so bad they had to cancel the production show from fear of their dancers becoming injured. Speaking of injuries, we believe the ships motion caused the before mentioned passenger who was evacuated and the few others we observed wearing arm slings. There was also a couple passengers injured at the pool. We wondered if we had booked a doomed cruise with all the accidents and injuries.   <br /><br />Anyway, they moved the comedian ahead one night and did the show the following evening. While we are on entertainment we will say the production shows (we only attended one and one-half) were average. The comedian was a little above average and the Ventriliguest/Comedian was outstanding&#33;  <br /><br />We also, apparently had a mild outbreak of Norvirus on our cruise as the railing was cleaned with ammonia one day. We also knew of two passengers who were quarantined in their cabin, and we heard there were a few others.   <br /><br />Disembarkation was very sad, but very fast. Celebrity does a great job in this area. After taking a taxi back to the hotel to pick up our auto, we were on the road heading north by 9;30. We spent the night in Dalton, GA and I watched the Ohio State-Florida football game that turned out to be a bust. Rita slept. We got up early and made it home and back to reality by 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, Jan 9.',1170960334,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]celebrity.gif',139,'Keith & Rita',1,66,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(89,68,'1/21/05','Much as we love the QE2, we probably won&#39;t sail on her again in the near future. The Carnival influenece is creeping in, no regular displays of ice carvings or melon carvings which we have so enjoyed in the past, no chocolate dessert extravaganza etc.','This is our 4th, and possibly last, cruise on this wonderful ship. The first time we did the trans Atlantic from Ft.Lauderdale to Southampton via Bermuda and Madeira, and the other three cruises were from Honolulu to Auckland as part of the World Cruise.    <br /><br /><br />We LOVE this ship, it is the reason we became addicted to cruising, but things have changed a lot since 2000 in many, some imperceptible, ways. One of our favourite daily rituals is the 4.00 pm afternoon tea but there, too, changes have been made and not for the better. The sandwiches are now not the little, thin sliced &quot;finger&quot; sandwiches but rather two slices of regular bread slapped togther with not a great variety of filling (what happened to the cress sandwiches?), and the scones are now served cold with the &quot;cream&quot; and jam already applied, instead of the scone separately, then the clotted cream and jam offered on the side. On the same subject, I noticed that the servers no longer wear the traditional white gloves which are so elegant and, when I questioned a rather opinionated young woman &quot;supervisor&quot;, I was told that this was a rule imposed by the US government for &quot;health reasons&quot;, also that the scones had &quot;never in my ten years on this ship, been served separately&quot;. It is interesting to note that, at several officer&#39;s cocktail parties we attended, white gloves were worn &#33;    <br /><br />It is true that the servers everywhere were constantly wiping down all surfaces, particularly in the Lido, and that one was required to use disinfectant hand cream before entering the buffet line. There was an outbreak of gastro-intestinal illness (Norovirus?) on the ship and many people were confined to their cabins for three days, including one member of our table in the Caronia dining room. We were at the Doctor&#39;s table for dinner and he assured us that there was no real problem but, three days prior to landing at Auckland, an advisory letter was sent out recommending that passengers avoid unnecessary mingling, other than with members of their own party, and that no further cocktail parties would be held until the problem had been cleared up. We also noticed a disproportionate number of passengers with severe colds and coughs, including myself. Symptoms were clogged nasal passages and severely congested lungs, so bad in fact that, for three nights, I had to try to sleep sitting up as it was impossible to lie down without being wracked by coughing.    <br /><br />That said, we were very pleased with the accomodations, having been upgraded from a C-5 to a Q-3 (de-luxe suite), 335 square feet of elegance, partially due to the fact that there had been a royal screwup at Cunard over our paperwork which arrived just 1 hour prior to our having to leave to board the ship, and that only as a result of repeated phone calls and faxes from our TA and myself. I must say that the Passenger Services dept. people at Cunard were wonderful when they were alerted to the problem, particularly a young lady named Savina Fisk who will receive a letter of commendation Crom me. Our return air had also been messed up by the air dept., who had scheduled a flight out of Auckland to LOS ANGELES and then back to Honolulu, a total of 18 hours in the air, when there is a direct flight that takes 8.5 hours. This was resolved by Ms.Fisk who faxed me the E ticket with the amended schedule.    <br /><br />We were unable to tender in at Kona, which was the first stop scheduled after leaving Honolulu, due to heavy swells, so Capt. Ian McNaught continued on to Papeete at reduced speed and then we arrived at 2 pm the day before we were scheduled , giving us an extra half day there plus spending the night dockside instead of at sea.    <br /><br />I had the names of 5 fellow passengers to contact but only managed to meet up with one, we were so busy the whole time that it just never seemed convenient to set up meetings with strangers.    <br /><br />We are dyed in the wool Caronia diners as we love the fact that there is only one sitting and one can start as early as 6.45 or as late 9.00 pm. The Hosts usually arrive later, about 8.30 pm so that everyone is already seated, and only on sea nights, and they add a great deal of fun to the meal, Dr Martin Carroll is extremely amusing and he is a fellow chocaholic so I liked his prescription to get rid of my cold, &quot;have a few drinks and eat a lot of chocolate&quot; &#33;&#33;&#33;    <br /><br />Much as we love the QE2, we probably won&#39;t sail on her again in the near future. The Carnival influenece is creeping in, no regular displays of ice carvings or melon carvings which we have so enjoyed in the past, no chocolate dessert extravaganza etc.  For the same price, we can sail on twice on Princess which we also enjoy, in some ways more than Cunard now.    <br /><br />I am sure I have missed out several points, please don&#39;t hesitate to contact me by E mail if you have any questions, we were in Suite 2084 in case anyone wants to know more about that category.',1170961166,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]cunard.gif',1,'CruisingBryan',1,111,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(90,70,'1/23/05','This was the most amazing, enjoyable, relaxing (yet tiring) vacation&#33; We just loved cruising and the kids can&#39;t wait to sail on the Disney Magic next&#33;','Wow - what can say about the Disney experience&#33; It was truly amazing and now has my family hooked on cruising.  We sailed on the 4 day Wonder to Nassau, Castaway Cay and a day at sea.   <br /><br /><br />Let&#39;s start with embarkation - how slick it was, was amazing. We arrived at the Port at 10:30 a.m. and were allowed into the terminal at 11:00. We went straight to the Non US citizen line and had no wait at all, in the mean time my 4 kids settled into large, comfy chairs and watched Disney movies.  <br /><br />About 12:30 they allowed to board the ship and each family&#39;s name was called out as they entered the ship and were cheered on by the crew (made my kids day&#33;). We had the buffett lunch and then proceeded to our staterooms.  <br /><br />Now I was not sure what to expect - after all it is a ship and they cram so many people into it - but we were amazed at the room. We had connecting Cat 9 rooms, so we had 2 shower rooms and 2 bathrooms&#33; 2 king sized bed, 2 single beds and 2 beds that came out of the ceiling (do not know the proper name for them&#33;) We had a huge port hole in each room also.  <br /><br />Meals - they were fantastic&#33; On the Disney cruise ships you keep your servers for the entire duration of the cruise and they follow you to each restaurant for dinner. This is great and my kids loved our servers - they played games with them, knew them by name even when we saw them at other areas of the ship. They had there drinks waiting for us when we sat down to eat and by the end of the cruise knew our likes and dislikes and would bring us extra plates of what we liked.  <br /><br />The shows were excellent and the kids even liked going to the movie theater every night to watch the newly released movies they were showing.  <br /><br />Disembarkation was also a breeze - except for clearing customs&#33; Way too early in the morning for my liking&#33; But I guess it has to be done&#33; We were allowed off the ship at 8:00 a.m. and all of our luggage was color coded to our stateroom so we just went to the Purple areas and found out stateroom group and there sat all of our luggage&#33;  <br /><br />This was the most amazing, enjoyable, relaxing (yet tiring) vacation&#33; We just loved cruising and the kids can&#39;t wait to sail on the Disney Magic next&#33;',1170961206,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]disney.gif',1466,'chasbos',1,82,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(91,70,'9/7/06','Overall, the cruise was wonderful','Let me begin by saying, I love cruising and I love Disney...this was my 8th cruise, so I had something to compare it to.  <br /><br /><br />Embarkation was a breeze. It took less than 12 minutes.  <br /><br />When we boarded the ship, my first impression was &quot;wow...that is it?&quot; I guess I love the BIG Mega ships, and although the Atrium was beautiful...I like the BIG ships better.  <br /><br />We had a cat 5 verandah stateroom. It was a little cramped...and there was not enough room for all the luggage. The Verandah was nice and roomy.  <br /><br />The ship is styled more like the old fashioned ships...Cunard class type. It was very pretty...more closed in than I like.   <br /><br />There are three main dining rooms, Tritons, Animators Palette, and Parrot Cay. You could certainly feel like you were in Disney with them. Very nice. I was disappointed our first night in Animators Palette, as it didn&#39;t change colors...  I do love that the wait staff follows you to each of the restaurants. The wait staff was good, not great...the desserts were blah...the meals were good, but got much better as the cruise went on.  <br /><br />The children&#39;s room was nice...not great...the only thing that made it special was that characters would come in there and join the kids with different things, like &quot;Tea with Wendy&quot; &quot;Story time with Belle&quot; etc. My daughter age 4 was a little bored, and asked to go on Carnival next time, lol.  <br /><br />Shore excursions were fair...had 2 terrible experiences with our cruiseline booked excursions...but made the best of things.  <br /><br />The shows were fantastic&#33; Typical Disney Class.  <br /><br />I thought the adult activities were blah, mostly wine tasting, martini tasting, etc. The pool areas were nice...the Mickey pool for the kids is awesome and perfect for them.  <br /><br />I was disappointed at the lack of Caribbean music onboard...the band was not very good...through the speakers every day was different Disney music...which I understand.  <br /><br />Debarkation was amazingly quick&#33; They opened the doors while my daughter and I were at breakfast, and it was only 7:10 AM&#33;&#33; After breakfast...we gathered ourselves...took a few more pictures and were on our way.  <br /><br />We found the luggage easily, waited in line for a porter and were on our way in no time&#33;  <br /><br />Overall, the cruise was wonderful. . .',1170961253,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]disney.gif',2717,'PrincessOne',1,250,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(92,134,'11/7/04','Despite a few glitches, a fantastic trip&#33; Bravo, Wind Surf&#33;','Cruises: <br />11/7-14/2004 ? Nice to Barcelona <br />11/14/21/2004 ? Barcelona to Lisbon <br /><br /><br /><br />While no cruise is perfect, our back to back cruises on the Wind Surf were way above average. We sailed to great ports, all the while feeling that we were privileged and pampered. Nothing beats the feeling of being on a ship under sail, and it?s a pleasure to sail with a few hundred other passengers, rather than a few thousand.  <br /><br />For a description of the ship, public rooms, fellow passengers, fitness and recreation, family, dress code, and tipping, see the main Cruise Critic cruise review of the Wind Surf at <a href=\"http://www.cruisec.com/reviews/review.cfm?ShipID=158\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.cruisec.com/reviews/review.cfm?ShipID=158</a><br /><br />Best part of the trip  <br /><br />Except for the two bad weather days, every day was a best part. The crew was friendly and helpful, the passengers were interesting, the ports were great, and the ship itself was fun. It was great having a feeling of elegance, yet not having to dress up ? Windstar really does have ?casual elegance?.  <br /><br />Worst part of the trip  <br /><br />This was a tie between two things: disembarkation, and a very bumpy, unplanned sea day when everything seemed to go wrong. Both will be discussed below.  <br /><br />Embarkation  <br /><br />There was some confusion as to when we could board, so we were at the pier a bit after 1 p.m., but couldn?t board until 2. Once we could board, embarkation was painless. We had left our bags on the pier around 10:30 a.m., and they magically appeared in our room. We climbed up the gangplank at 2, took the mandatory awful boarding picture, then were ushered into the lounge and handed a mimosa. We filled out forms, and that was it. Even a goof regarding our boarding cards was fixed quickly. Indeed, that became a keynote of the trip: Windstar made few mistakes; but when they did, they usually fixed it quickly.  <br /><br />Accommodations  <br /><br />These were the smallest rooms we?d had on our five cruises (188 square feet), and we were concerned that we would feel cramped. We needn?t have had any fears: though compact, the rooms were very comfortable, and we had no cabin fever even after two weeks. There seemed to be room for all our belongings. We did miss having a bath tub; but we knew that in advance.  <br /><br />The steward was unobtrusive: perhaps a bit too much so. However, the room was kept clean, and when we asked for something (ice, more shampoo, etc.) it arrived promptly. The towels and bathrobes were good, and the fruit bowl was kept filled.  <br /><br />Dining  <br /><br />The food in the dining rooms was so good, and so convenient, that we never even tried room service. Breakfast and lunch were served in the Veranda room; however, we quickly found that we could avoid crowds (the crowds weren?t very big, anyway), and get waiter service for several items, if we sat in the adjacent Bistro. The breakfast choices always included pancakes, French toast, waffles, and at least one light cuisine choice. Eggs were made to order, smoked salmon was available every day, and caviar was available two or three times each week. There was lots of fruit, meusli, great breads and pastries, and stuff we never even tried, such as British breakfast, cold cereal, breakfast meats (hot and cold), etc.  <br /><br />We had three or four lunches off the ship, mostly on excursions; but it was a temptation to eat every lunch on the ship. Most lunches had themes (Italian, Spanish, Asian), and the choices were generally interesting. Grilled food, such as fish and burgers, was always available. The salads were especially varied and interesting. There were always lots of desserts, including low fat and the famous HAL bread pudding. Buffet choices were excellent. While there still is no area where the ship crew makes cold sandwiches, there are plenty of sandwich ingredients available, including great bread, for making your own sandwiches. We never did so, because the other choices were so good.  <br /><br />The lobster tail and lamb chop barbecue lunch, on the last cruise day of each week, was a highlight of the trip.  <br /><br />If we had any quibbles with the food, it involved dinner. During the first week, when the ship had 210 passengers, everything went smoothly, and meals took a leisurely but not slow amount of time. In week two, when there were 300 passengers, service slowed, and we experienced waits on occasion. Nonetheless, our Indonesian server, Lilik, was always courteous and attentive.  <br /><br />As for the food itself, it was not five star, but it was the best we?ve had on a cruise ship. There was some effort to serve food that related to where we were (the Mediterranean). There were vegetarian choices, healthy food, and ?low carb? food, as well as four or five other choices. One night we were at a table for six, and we had six different main courses ? all good. With soup, salad, appetizer, main course, and dessert there was too much food: by the end of the trip we were consistently skipping at least one course. The best and most appropriate main course during the two weeks was vegetarian: a Moroccan pumpkin tagine. Yum&#33;  <br /><br />The menus were so good that we kept putting off trying the alternate restaurant, the Bistro. On our first try, we were too seasick to enjoy the food. This was the missed port day in Mahon, as described below, and was not a fair test of the restaurant. When we finally did try it in normal weather, we enjoyed it as much as the main restaurant.  <br /><br />Wine and Liquor  <br />We can?t really judge this area. Since we were sailing in wine country (France and Spain), we purchased almost all of our wine on shore, and paid a &#036;10 corkage fee each time we opened a bottle. (The wine steward did give us one ?freebie? each week). Similarly, the bar crew was very friendly even though we normally ordered iced tea, rather than something alcoholic.   <br /><br />Ports and Itinerary  <br /><br />Before we left, the host for the Windstar board on another cruise web site described our two weeks as a ?killer itinerary?. That was accurate. We had just the right mix of big cities (Marseille, Barcelona, Malaga), medium size cities (Palma de Majorca, Tangier), and small places (Porquerolles, Ibiza, Sete, Portimao). Due to Mistral winds, we missed two ports: St. Florent, Corsica, and Mahon, Minorca. Both would have been great. However, the missed day at St. Florent resulted in one of the highlights of the trip. We went from Nice to Villefranche, a distance of about five miles, instead of going to Corsica. We took a tour to St. Paul de Vence, and placed a stone on Chagall?s grave. Unforgettable. Villefranche itself was interesting, including a narrow, completely enclosed street, the Rua Obscura.  <br /><br />Visiting Tangier, Morocco, including our excursion to Tetuan (the white dove), was like stepping into another world. Everything was exotic, from the narrow alleyways to the robes worn by the people to the vendors who kept trying to get us to bargain for and purchase their goods. I hope the line keeps this port in its itineraries.  <br /><br />Things did not turn out well for our other missed port, Mahon. (We missed the first and last scheduled ports of the first week?s itinerary.) We spent a sea day in 60 knot winds. The ship is fairly stable; but no ship feels comfortable in such high winds, and Joan became seasick. To make matters worse, some thoughtless passenger flushed something that he shouldn?t have flushed down a men?s room toilet, and it knocked out the toilets for our entire bank of cabins and public areas. Even after the public bathroom was fixed, our toilet and the toilet in the room next to us had to be replaced. Imagine a sea day with near hurricane force winds, when you couldn?t even use your own stateroom. With many empty rooms, the line could have let us rest in an empty room. Instead, we wandered from public room to public room. Windstar did give us a bottle of wine as a ?make good?, but they could and should have done more.  <br /><br />Excursions  <br /><br />We used ship?s excursions in about half the ports. In the other ports, Patrick, the excursion director, gave us plenty of information about the port, so we could do things on our own. With one big exception/problem, the tours were reasonably priced and interesting, and gave us a good idea of the area in which we were traveling. We avoided the big, overcrowded tour from Malaga to Granada (which was loved by the people who took it); so all of our tours were also uncrowded: always under 30 people, twice under 15. So what was the problem? Potty stops. They were too infrequent, and the bathrooms on the buses were never available. I hope the line cures this problem.  <br /><br />Entertainment  <br /><br />There wasn?t much of it, and we didn?t miss it. There was a small casino, and there were usually bands in the two lounges. They were not well populated most of the time: people were simply too tired after exciting days on shore. Most people rented DVDs, and watched them in their rooms. Still, we have no doubt that, had we been night owls instead of early birds, we could easily have made our own entertainment. Nonetheless, if you want big, glitzy shows, this may not be the ship for you. The only ?show? was the weekly crew show, which was quite interesting.  <br /><br />Level of service  <br /><br />Generally excellent, form the hostess, Cherie, on down. The crew made us fee pampered and special.  <br /><br />Tipping  <br /><br />Very confusing. The ?tipping not required? policy resulted in confusion about whether to tip, and how much. We ended up giving pooled tips to the dining room staff and bar staff, and individual tips to the room steward and wine steward. Clear guidelines would be better. Better still would be a slight increase in price, all of which would go into staff pay, so that tipping truly is not needed. Windstar will try this idea, as well as including wine with dinner, in its ?Signature Sailings? in 2005.  <br /><br />Disembarkation  <br /><br />After two great weeks, even the best disembarkation would have been a downer. The actual disembarkation was worse than that. Because the ship was going into dry dock, we disembarked an hour west of Lisbon, and had a long bus trip. (In fairness, getting off the ship was quick and well organized, and would have been good had we gone directly to the pier instead of into a bus.) Once we picked up our bags (easy&#33;), there was no one to help us get a cab. Joe went back inside to use the restroom, and got locked into the port terminal. There was no one to help him get out, and we lost our place in trying to get a cab. The most aggressive people got cabs quickly. Finally, someone from Windstar organized a line; but the pushy people, rather than those of us who arrived first, got on line first. Meanwhile cab drivers came up to us and offered to drive us for three or four times the meter rate. Absurd&#33;  <br /><br />Final impressions  <br /><br />Despite a few glitches, a fantastic trip&#33; Bravo, Wind Surf&#33;',1171227788,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]windstar.gif',2167,'JoanandJoe',1,107,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(93,131,'1/28/04','Barbados, St. Lucia, Terre de Haut (Iles des Saintes), Dominica, Antigua. St. Kitts, Martinique, Barbados','After numerous cruises to the Western Caribbean on a variety of conventional cruise ships, I was looking for something different for our annual wedding anniversary cruise in December. I found the Star Clipper Line on the internet and was fascinated by the ship and the itinerary?.the Windward Islands, places we had never been before. When we arrived in Barbados, and the cruiseline rep waiting at the airport called us by name, I knew we were in for something special. Our bags were in the cabin in minutes. <br /><br />The ship is fairly new (July, 2000). This is a big sailing ship - not a hotel. Biggest sailing cruise ship in the world - certainly bigger than any plying the Caribbean waters or the Med. A visual feast with five very tall masts, and almost always under sail. Compare it to other sailing ships or steel cruise ships: 429 feet long, masts almost 200 feet high, 54 foot beam (width), 56,000 square feet of sail (a typical cabin on a cruise ship has 140 square feet floor area.) Includes 26 square sails, 12 staysails, three jibs, a spanker. Every time the sailed and hoisted sail, they played inspiring music over the topside speakers&#33; <br /><br />High quality appointments, cabin fixtures, and materials throughout. Very pleasant crew, enough food - well prepared - to keep us alive and happy. Rides the waves like a sailing ship - not bumpy, not flat, not boring. You&#39;re here to sail but not to fear for your life. 20 knots top speed at sail (that&#39;s very fast over 4-6 foot swells - feels great&#33;) <br /><br />This ship has stairs (lots of them), no elevator, three wetting pools, more open deck space than 5 cruise ships, ample lounge chairs, and a nice quiet &quot;public&quot; room and library. The cabins - even the basic ones - are very well appointed, attractive, and roomy. The whole place feels pretty upscale but you don&#39;t find yourself wishing you brought your tux or tiara. <br /><br />Pax capacity is 228. The mix was 15% US, 20% UK, 50% Germany, 15% Canada and others. All adults. Age averages seemed to be 50+; some retirees, some captains of industry, some solos. There were a few younger single women. Many were past cruisers and past Clipper fans. A number of European&#39;s were taking back to back week cruises aboard, due to the high cost of flying to Barbados. Veteran cruisers appreciated the size/style/environment of this sailing ship vs. the &quot;floating Hyatts&quot;. <br /><br />At most ports, we anchored offshore and used the tenders to land. The marketing brochures of Star Clipper leads one to expect unique landing or small beach anchorages. This ship is too large to sneak into some swimming holes. But it certainly comes near shores easily. Although Windstar and other sailing lines (like Windjammer)&quot; sail these waters, it was clear in most ports that the size and unique qualities of the Royal Clipper earned admiring gazes of many folks on shore, and even other conventional cruise ships. One went out of their way to pass close for their pax to take photographs of us under sail, leaving St. Kitts. <br /><br />The Crew: A mixture of nationalities of very pleasant men and woman who are relaxed, polite, and obviously satisfied to work on this vessel. Many eastern European men are in the deck crew. Many said they had worked for several of the larger cruise lines but chose Star Clipper Lines. They treat the employees well, even letting some return home during peak periods like the holidays. <br /><br /><br />Officers were Norwegian, Polish, English, etc. Captain Marek is animated, boisterous, loves to dance with guests, eats in the dining room every night, and loves rainbows&#33;&#33; For most, his positive energy was contagious. The bridge is always open to visitors. <br />The Cabins: They&#39;re clean, well decorated, comfy, and have adequate space, with storage for bags under bed. We had a true double bed, not two twins faking it. Lots of wood (ersatz) and classical-looking materials. Marble (real) in the bathroom. Toiletries provided and towels changed twice a day. Storage adequate, not great. Rooms sound proof - except in some when the anchors come and go, or the power grinders help with the sail lines. Carpeting galore. Nice nautical colors and patterns. No neon. No &quot;art&quot;. TV ran text news - sometimes. Movies played in English, French, German, and a variety of music on several channels. In room safes were available. <br /><br />Public rooms: Nice variety - exterior very free form, interiors like large living rooms. A comfy library with a faux fireplace. A forward room called the Observation Lounge that few people use. Contains two computers for Internet use if you purchase an internet card, and board games. A library, as equipped as other ships. Below decks, you can descend to Nemo&#39;s Lounge. It&#39;s not a lounge as was planned, but the &quot;gym&quot; and a beauty salon. It has exercise machines, including some treadmills and stationery bicycles, and a few other devices. There were, as advertised, three or four underwater portholes &#33; A great idea. Except in day you can&#39;t see much. <br /><br />Amidships, (above the water line) is a very nice and quiet inside room, called the Piano Bar which is really just a large space with couches, chairs, coffee machines, a bar and a piano. It surrounds the &quot;atrium&quot; - another touch from the &quot;big iron ships.&quot; <br /><br />The dining room is the lower level of the &quot;atrium.&quot; The dining room is wonderful and skillfully plotted to handle everyone at any time. The galley (and dishes, serving stations) seem to be miles away - so it&#39;s quiet, odorless. Buffet dinner the first night before sailing, and all breakfasts and lunches. Dinner is open seating ala carte menu. Come in anytime between 7:30 and 10pm. <br /><br />A bar and covered deck area (where we embark and disembark) were nautical and nice. This is were after dinner dancing, entertainment by crew and passengers, and fun and games takes place at night. One night they brought aboard a fabulous steel band until we sailed about 11pm. <br /><br />The top (Sun) deck is the best - huge, all areas open. Features big things which help the ship sail - like masts, lines, machines, gadgets, chains. All teak decking, abundant benches and things to sit on or lean against or lie on. Visibility from the deck is 360 degrees with no air conditioning boxes or cranes blocking your view or your movement. The pools are wet - one has a glass bottom which is viewed from the piano bar atrium. Two are very small. I like to float in water that&#39;s floating on a ship that&#39;s floating in sea. It&#39;s comfy - if you like salt water. <br /><br />There&#39;s lots of room to stand or sit by the bridge area - there&#39;s a great high platform to stand like an Admiral and study the horizon. Looking back over the deck, even the slightest roll of the ship is magnified by the 200 foot masts - this thing is an engineering marvel that must be seen to appreciated. We heard it cost &#036;65 million to float it - that may be low. Forward (in front of) the bridge area is more deck space. And beyond that (even more forward) is some tight netting that hangs out over the water under the bowsprit. (That&#39;s the stick thing that points ahead of the ship.) You can get out on this net - there&#39;s room for a brigade - and ride (dry) above the waves just ahead of the ship as it cuts thru the surf. <br /><br />Food: There&#39;s a lot of it. The variety at breakfast and lunch buffet each day is amazing. Breakfasts had all the normal crunchy stuff plus oatmeal. A nice chef with stove top cooked eggs any way/any time/any amount you like. Lunches had lots of greens, lots of cheeses, lots of noodle things, lots of fruits, lots of desserts. And many hot dishes, meats. Dinners were very nice. Every night there were three entry choices, and two choices of appetizer, a soup, a salad, a pasta, three desserts, and a cheese plate. Selections included lobster tail, rack of lamb, baked salmon, flounder, grouper, beef tenderloin, duck, shrimp tempura etc. The wine list is good, and more moderately priced than any cruise line we have been on. &#036;12 for bottle of good French merlot, the house red wine, &#036;22 for a French pinot noir, etc. They don&#39;t &quot;push&quot; alcohol. There were finger sandwiches, fruit and hot snacks from 5-6pm on deck, and a snack in the piano bar from 1130pm-0030am. There is no room service except in suites. Didn&#39;t need it anyway. <br /><br />Noticeably absent are ship photographers. There was one captain&#39;s night, when men ore shirts with ties, few coats. Other nights, long trousers and tropical or polo shirts for men and nice casual for women. During the day shorts, etc were acceptable. <br /><br />Sports The ship has a platform off the back (the stern) that lowers into the water. The ship comes apart - and a float platform, with room for 40, becomes a dock in the water (when the ship is anchored). You can swim off that - I did. They launch some scuba and snorkel adventures off that. They also offer banana boat and zodiac boat rides, and a Laser sailboat?..all for free. You can borrow for a week (for free) all the snorkel and scuba gear you need. It&#39;s well organized. In some ports the equipment is moved to the beach. <br /><br />Shops The a desk where the purser lives has toothpaste, lighters, and any combination of hats and shirts with the ship&#39;s logo. No emeralds, no booze, no art, no nonsense, no discounts. Diamonds International and Columbian Emeralds are not represented. <br /><br />Tours Couldn&#39;t comment. We didn&#39;t take them. Seemed moderate and well-planned. Tour director was professional and thoughtful - not a shill for the line&#39;s treasury. <br /><br /><br />Ports: St. Lucia: most shops closed on Sunday. Visited Reduit Beach/anchored in Rodney Bay. Terre de Haut (Iles des Saintes): Anchored. Picturesque French fishing village with shops. Used private beach at resort hotel?.topless permitted. Antigua: Anchored off Falmouth Harbor?.longest in port day 11am-11pm. Tendered to beach for BBQ then tendered to yacht club and walked to English Harbor and Nelson Dockyard. Looks like Annapolis harbor with some HUGE yachts and lots of sailing yachts. Some people took taxis to St. John&#39;s to shop. St. Kitts: Anchored off Bassterre/then moved to anchorage at South Friars Beach in Frigate Bay. Spectacular unspoiled scenery. Artificial reef with good snorkling and some topless sunbathing. No hotels in sight?.just beach, sea, and green mountains. Dominica: Pierside at Cabrits, Portsmouth. Rain forest. Snorkling excursion by tender to underwater park. Rain&#33;&#33; Martinique: Pierside in Forte de France. Walked to downtown shopping. Very French. My wife called it a woman&#39;s port: lots of boutique dress shops, jewelry, etc. Went to duty free shops. Some took ferry to resort strip which they swore was like the southern coast of France. Left too soon. <br />We purchased our air through the cruise line and bought insurance?.due to the recent troubles. The ship arrived in Barbados the last day 13 hours late due to rough weather. They advised everyone early and they said they would handle new travel arrangements for everyone by satellite to their European and Florida offices, whether we had purchased through the cruise line or not. The held a briefing and then held &quot;open bar&quot; for the rest of the day?.including wine with lunch and dinner. We finally arrived after dinner, and they promptly transported us to a Barbados resort hotel on the beach and provided the room and meals at not cost, and transfer to the airport the next day. A class act. And I only heard one complaint. Imagine that on Carnival&#33; <br /><br />Misc: No problem with purchasing liquor ashore and bringing it aboard to use in the cabin. 220V electricity except shavers. No doctor aboard, only a nurse who also works in the dining room. Tips directly to the crew are discouraged. Guideline is &#036;8 per day per person, put in cash or charge to a pool shared equally by the crew. No smoking in cabins or any enclosed public areas, except a few smoking tables and a small area in the piano bar. <br /><br />Major pros: Ship is stunning and sea-worthy - and truly sails (by hand, not computer.) Plenty of space, beautiful fixtures and decorating. Well planned. Passenger count and socialization, if desired, is very satisfying. &quot;Intimate&quot; is not the perfect word, but the idea works. <br /><br />Major cons: None. But you must know difference between sailing this ship and floating on a cruise ship. This ship sails. There is the &quot;motion of the ocean.&quot; Some may wish they were back in the Waldorf. Most pax who were concerned used patches or dramamine tablets. <br /><br />Compares: To no ship at sea - it surpasses other &quot;sailing&quot; cruise ships that are upscale with metallic sails or sails that are moved by computers. The Royal&#39;s sails, while lowered and raised with power aids, are set and &quot;trimmed&quot; by the Captain and his crew for maximum efficiency. And in size and material, this is closest to what were true sailing ships of the 19th century - the way people and goods moved between the hemispheres. Note: We have cruised twice on Princess, 5 times on Carnival, once on HAL and once on RCL, and my wife has cruised on QE2 and Norwegian once each. We&#39;ll do those again, but this was special. <br /><br />From the pricing and outfitting, you will expect to see folks who might otherwise ride Princess or HAL ships. This is not the Carnival crowd. This is a cerebral crowd, usually sober, bored with slot machines, and past the stage of wearing baseball caps (backwards), tank top shirts, or nose rings. I&#39;ll likely try another Star Clippers Line cruise next year, perhaps on Star Clipper through the Treasure Islands&#33;',1171228256,0,'Eastern Caribbean','',131,'JohnG',1,91,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(94,130,'2/27/04','The bottom line is that I had a great cruise.','PART 1 = THE SHIP<br /><br />Walking across the enclosed gangway was not the normal embarkation onto a ship; it was a passage through a time portal to the past. At the end of the portal is the Main Lobby, on the Restaurant Desk, one, single, deck-high. No towering atrium, with elevators soaring up and down, but a simple, efficient, area finished with highly lacquered wood, of varying type, textures and shades, and lots of brass trim. <br /><br />As you enter the Lobby, you are welcomed by a member of the staff, greeted by a Cabin Steward, and escorted to your cabin, where the Cabin Steward opens your door with a key&#33; Yes, the old-time, regular key, on a key ring with an oval shaped plastic tag, which has the ship logo and your room number printed on it. Another step back in time. <br /><br />The cabins are small, and cramped. The furnishings sparse, and out-of-date and look like something out of a 1950&#39;s motel. More than adequate for the three day cruise that Imperial Majesty Cruise Lines has her presently running. In fact, in 1990, I spent a week aboard her, when she sailed as Commodore Cruise Lines? Caribe I, and, although the cabin was somewhat confining, it was ample enough. <br /><br />After unpacking my single bag, I headed up to the Promenade Deck, where the Welcome Aboard Buffet was being served. It was not the big, lavish, buffet that we have become accustomed to, but there was more than enough to eat. There were several cold salads, three hot dishes, hamburgers and hot dogs, and the usual desserts and pastries. <br /><br />The food quality was approximately what I had expected for a &#39;bargain&#39; cruise. It was all prepared and presented very well, and was very tasty. Nothing extraordinary, but far better than Carnival was, before they made the major changes. In fact, I thought it was as good as Royal Caribbean, which is far from my favorite. <br /><br />On the plus side, trays were provided at the buffet so you didn&#39;t have to perform a juggling act. On the minus side, they put out paper cups for the coffee and cold drinks. In my mind, they made up for this by serving real, fresh brewed, coffee in all parts of the ship, not that liquid concentrate so widely in use today. <br /><br />After finishing my snack, I began a tour of the ship. As with many of the older ships, converted from multi-class ocean liners, the passageways are a maze and several areas at the bow, on a particular deck, do not connect directly to those at the stern. Every journey through the ship is an adventure, until you learn your way around. And, getting around takes a while to learn. It is complicated by the fact that there are a total of three elevators, each with a capacity of five passengers. <br /><br />Being a smaller ship, only 21,000 GRT, her public areas are limited. The Internet Caf? is nothing more than a few laptops in the old coffee bar and the Arcade consists of nothing more than seven video machines against a wall on the Promenade Deck. <br /><br />Ah, the Promenade Deck&#33; A glass enclosed esplanade with plush love seats facing the sea sitting on a teak deck. <br /><br />This area is a highlight of the ship, as it was on so many of the old cruise ships. <br /><br />The clubs and lounge all serve their purposes well. Although somewhat on the smaller side, none seemed overcrowded at any time. <br /><br />The Grand Lounge, the main show room, is the old style single deck theater with a flat floor. The lack of raised rows creates poor sight lines, and several poles obstruct the view from many seats. The other side of the coin is that the room is small, and you really can see from almost anywhere, with an occasional stretch. <br /><br />I guess the ?bottom line? is that she is a fantastic ship for cruise buffs. Although she has been refitted, and refurbished, a number of times, her basic character, design and personality have remained intact. I spent quite a bit of time walking her decks, and passageways, and just taking pleasure in all of the ocean liner-type details. <br /><br />As a ship, I would also recommend her for first-time cruisers, with some reservations. This will be discussed in Part 2. <br /><br />Likewise, I don?t know if I would recommend her to veteran cruisers who are accustomed to, and require the amenities that only the new mega-ships can provide. <br /><br />I loved her, as a ship, for what she is. The one feature that I miss most on the newer ships, which you find aboard the Empress, is the main lido deck pool at the stern of the ship?. <br /><br />This is my favorite part of the ship; any ship which has pool open on three sides to the sea, with no bulkheads on the sides and another ?balcony? deck above it. Open and free, the way it always used to be. <br /><br />The Pool Deck and the enclosed Promenade make up for any deficiencies she may have in other areas. <br /><br />PART 2 = THE CRUISE <br /><br />THE FOOD<br />The food quality was inconsistent. Certain dishes were excellent. On par with some of the better cruise lines. Yet, there were some items that were not very good at all. I will say that I was able to have very good meals. <br /><br />The dining room had an inviting, comfy feeling. The d?cor was very toned-down, and warm, and the low ceilings added to the warmth coziness. <br /><br />At dinner, on the first evening, I ordered the New York Strip. It was served exactly as ordered, medium-rare, and was dished up hot and fresh. The flavor was excellent, but it was a bit chewy. The side dishes consisted of nice helpings of fresh vegetables and potato, not the little, fancy, ostentatious servings on many of today?s ships. A hot baked potato, with all of the fixings, was available at every dinner, on request. <br /><br />The soups were ordinary, and very commercial, while the salads were varied and interesting. The dinner rolls, for the entire cruise, consisted of the Pepperidge Farms packaged dinner rolls, with no variation. They happened to be very good, but it did get boring. A few breadsticks, and a dark roll, would have been well appreciated. <br /><br />The dessert selection was small, and the choices limited, but they were excellent. The coffee was fresh-brewed, from coffee grinds, and was consistently good. And, after dessert, we did get the ?Hot, Hot, Hot? show? <br /><br /><br />I certainly found sufficient quantity of very good quality food to keep me stuffed for the entire week-end. But, this is not a cruise for a more demanding cruiser. <br />The service was excellent. In fact, the dining room service was among the best I have ever had&#33; The waiter and busboy were attentive, conscientious and polite. Food was served precisely as requested, with a smile. Water and ice tea glasses were refilled before they had been emptied and soiled dishes did not remain on the table any longer than it was necessary for the busboy to ask if you were done. <br /><br />On the buffet lines, waters served ALL of the dishes. A slice of ham, or cheese, was placed on your plate, as were the various salads, hot dishes, and even the rolls. As you walked down the procession, a line of waiters placed the items you chose onto your plate, with no passengers reaching for, grabbing at, and breathing on the food. <br /><br />ENTERTAINMENT<br />The entertainment was totally disappointing. They had only one band, a three-piece affair, which doubled as the ?pool band? and the ?house band.? Therefore, they spent very little time at the pool. This may have been a fortuitous happening, since the band was from Eastern Europe, and were not very adept at playing the familiar island music we enjoy so poolside. As the house band, playing for the production shows, they were very good. The ship could certainly use a Caribbean band to play live music on the Lido Deck, instead of the recorded music they blasted at you. <br /><br />The two production shows were of the cabaret variety which was prevalent on all cruise ships up until the late 80?s. <br /><br />The dancers were very good, for what they did, and I thoroughly enjoyed their performances. The singers had exceptional voices, in both tone and range. Their ability was entirely negated by the fact that they, also, were from Eastern Europe, and had fairly heavy accents. No matter that your voice is of the highest quality, it is annoying to hear them singing ?New Yoruk, New Yoruk,? or ?Alexendra?s Regtime Bend?.? <br /><br />I?d be kind to say that the entertainment, in general, was unsatisfactory. <br /><br />ACTIVITIES<br />The Cruise Director, and his staff, provided plenty of goings-on for a short cruise. They were very pleasant and ?mingle? with the passengers throughout the cruise. <br /><br />At the Sail-Away Party, as we left Port Everglades, they provided some classic, cruise-style, entertainment, starting with poolside horse racing and ending with hula hoops and madness. With the exception of the horse racing, this was repeated as we left Nassau. <br /><br />The one thing noticeably missing was the lack of any trivia games. Maybe, because its one of the few activities that I regularly participate in, I felt that this was a negative. <br /><br />The casino crew was sociable and the dealers gracious. The casino itself is rather small, and has three blackjack tables, one Caribbean Stud table, a Roulette Wheel and a more than adequate number of wide-ranging slot machines. A minor problem is that the some of the slot machines required maintenance. <br /><br />The slots, however, seemed to pay off better than those in casinos, both on other ships and land-based. They appeared to be pretty ?loose.? <br /><br />DISCUSSION<br />The bottom line is that I had a great cruise. I took pleasure in just walking around the ship, knowing that she was the last of a dying breed. I found gratification in sitting in a lounge, on the enclosed Promenade Deck, having a frozen thingee and meeting fellow passengers. I reveled in the aura of an old time, small, ship. <br /><br />I enjoyed the food, very much, even with its minor flaws. <br /><br />I was disappointed in the production shows, and find this to be a major failing on this cruise&#33; <br /><br />Would I sail on her again? Yes, I most probably will. After all, for fares starting at &#036;179.00, per person, and with them, occasionally waiving the ?single supplement,? you get far more than your money?s worth.',1171228353,0,'Bahamas','',502,'DaCruzNut',1,20,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(95,130,'4/10/05','If you have been on other cruises, the moment you exit the terminal, at Port Everglades, you realize that your cruise aboard the Regal Empress is going to be a unique experience; a trip not only out to sea, but into the past.','You embark by climbing the portable steel stairway, usually reserved for some undeveloped ports, and enter the ship, via the deck, at the main lobby. No fancy gangway leading you into a huge atrium.   <br /><br />He feeling of d?j? vu continues as you work your way through the ship, to your cabin, surrounded by oak, mahogany, teak and brass, instead of the now-common glass, mirrors, chrome and neon now popular on all of the newer ships. Portholes greet you where you now expect to find picture windows?  <br /><br />Not only the physical characteristics of the ship, but everything about the cruise, takes you back to the 70?s.  <br /><br />The ship itself, built in 1953, and launched as the ?Olympia,? underwent a full ?rebuild? when she was converted to cruising, as the ?Caribe I,? and a number of changes, and refurbishments, over the years since then. She is, unfortunately, showing some signs of age and wear, and will be going into dry dock in October, for some much-needed work. However, despite this, she remains a true classic and a lady of the sea.   <br /><br />Although small, she has a full compliment of entertainment facilities; the Grand Showroom, a disco, a piano bar, a karaoke lounge, etc; there is plenty to keep you busy&#33;  <br /><br />As with many ships of her class, it can, occasionally, be difficult to get from one place to another and there are times when you must go up/down a deck or two and, then, forward/aft to another staircase, where you then go up/down, again? This was common on the older ships that were converted from several Classes to a single-class ship. But, she?s small, and the trek from one place to another is slightly inconvenient, but not annoying.  <br /><br />The Pool Deck, located at the stern and surrounded by the sea on three sides is truly classic&#33; As far as I?m concerned, this is where the pool belongs&#33; The newer designs, which feature the pool at mid-ship, surrounded by glass windows and a deck above, give you a closed-in feeling.   <br /><br />Because the fare for the 2-night cruise, starting at &#036;149.00 p.p., is so reasonable, the ?push? for onboard revenue can get a little bothersome. The bar servers, poolside, are constantly annoying the passengers in their quest to sell drinks, and the constant announcements, ?reminding? you that the Shore Excursion Desk in open, can be frustrating.  <br /><br />The food is, surprisingly, good and is better than that found on several of the larger, more popular, lines. The welcome aboard buffet is not large, but has a decent array of good food. In addition to the customary hamburgers and hot dogs, there was a delicious baked chicken dish, beef stew, a carving station, several varieties of pasta and a nice salad selection. Although buffet style, the staff dishes out the various items.   <br /><br />The dining room service was excellent, and puts some other lines to shame. I asked for iced tea the first evening, and did not have to ask, again, on the second, as it ?magically appeared.? In addition, the glass was never allowed to become empty. Used butter wrappers, creamer containers, and other discarded items, were expeditiously removed.  <br /><br />Dinner was a treat, with a ?typical? cruise menu. The food preparation was pleasing to the eye, but even more so to the palate. The New York Strip was served correctly; passengers receiving it prepared as requested (rare/medium/well) and was not the least bit tough or chewy. The Veal Marsala was absolutely fantastic. Lunch was served in the dining room, ?open-seating, only, with no lunch buffet. I prefer this, but some of the passengers voiced a problem and missed a buffet lunch.  <br /><br />The entertainment was very good, if not exceptional. The two Production Shows are presented ?cabaret style,? due to the space limitation of the showroom. As was common, in days past, the showroom was only one deck high, limiting the dancing/jumping. However, talented performers, and a good choice of songs, made up for the other shortcomings. ?Nico,? in the piano bar, was terrific; the disco was jumping and the karaoke jam-packed with passengers having a ball.   <br /><br />They even had horse racing, poolside, as we left Nassau&#33; Talk about d?j? vu&#33;  <br /><br />All-in-all, I did not hear one negative comment, from any of the other passengers, regarding this particular cruise. On the contrary, everyone seemed to have a great time&#33; Sitting on the Pool Deck, waiting to disembark, I heard nothing but favorable comments.  <br /><br />One word of caution; this is an inexpensive ?budget? cruise. If you expect to find all of the amenities found on today?s ships, you will be disappointed. During non food service hours, other than the complimentary room service, you won?t find food anywhere and only coffee &amp; water at the buffet area; no iced tea, juice, etc; However, you will get much more than you might anticipate for the money the cruise costs&#33;',1171228391,0,'Bahamas','',502,'DaCruzNut',1,30,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(96,130,'4/10/05','Although the Regal Empress is not glitzy and she is showing signs of aging, I do believe it is a very enjoyable cruise for those who are searching for a very short cruise.','The Regal Empress is a grand old ship and one of the smallest that I have ever sailed on. If you are looking for copious neon, glitzy facades, long tall atriums with glass enclosed elevators, and endless eating opportunities, the Regal Empress may not be for you. If you are looking for endless perfection, clean paint jobs and a rust free environment the Regal Empress is still not for you. If you are looking for an intimate ship with classic lines, a deck plan that is maze-like in certain areas, the good company of veteran cruisers as well as first timers, a very short cruise, good service albeit sometimes a hard sell, and some frayed edges, then you should consider the Regal Empress. Although the Regal Empress was very rustic in appearance I enjoyed myself immensely, as did most of the fellow passengers I met.  <br /><br /><br />PRE-CRUISE TRANSFER  <br />We arrived at the Ft. Lauderdale Airport at approximately 11:00 AM. Being a budget cruise, the Regal Empress did not have representatives at the airport to greet its passengers. Taxis, however, were easily accessible and the fare was only about &#036;10 or &#036;11 for the twenty minute ride to the Port Everglades pier. I believe the ride was only about ten minutes but there was a security cue that all vehicles had to pass. Passengers in the taxi as well as the driver had to present a picture I.D. before going on to the pier. We arrived at the pier at approximately 11:50 AM. There was a slight security line that ended outside of the terminal before entering the actual building. Fortunately, it was not raining. We finally got to the first desk where we were asked by a friendly representative if we had our documentation. I presented the forms that I had downloaded from the web and he gave me Immigration and Arrival Forms to complete and said that we were all set.  <br /><br />EMBARKATION  <br />We arrived at the next line at 12:00 PM . Although Regal Empress representatives were waiting at the counters they did not start processing passengers until 12:35 PM. We got to the counter 35 minutes after they started processing. When we got to the counter we were told that the form that I had downloaded should have been done in duplicate, so we had to step aside and do the document over. After completing the document we were sent to deposit our luggage with the baggage handlers. I hate to say it, but the baggage handlers seemed a little slick. They reminded us that tips were appreciated. I also noticed a cut out cardboard box that had tens and twenties conspicuously taped inside to give the impression that passengers were leaving &#036;10 and &#036;20 tips. As I watched I noticed that they would put away the singles and leave the 10&#39;s and 20&#39;s. After depositing the luggage we proceeded to another counter to acquire our ship charge cards and make sure we had proper I.D. to board. After that we proceeded to a table where we were asked our seating preference for dinner and passed an area where some young ladies offered to take wine orders for the evening&#39;s dinner. Then we finally got to pose for the optional welcome aboard cruise photo. We proceeded to the boarding area and had to climb what seemed to be a long portable stairway to the next level of the ship. When we got the Restaurant Deck of the ship we were escorted to our cabin. The keys for the cabin were already in the room. Our luggage arrived shortly after.  <br /><br />STATEROOM  <br />We had chosen an oceanview stateroom on the Restaurant Deck. The cabin is very small but adequate enough for a two night cruise. There were three closets and enough room in the closet to fit the luggage.The oceanview window of the cabin was at the right corner of the cabin with a chair in front of it and the television set mounted over it. The bathroom was very small and the shower was not unlike some showers I have seen in some budget hotels in Europe where the shower is actually a very small area in the corner of the bathroom and there is no retaining structure to contain the water. The shower in the bathroom of the cabin was so small that I opted to shower with the shower curtain open since there was an additional drain outside of the designated shower area. The general atmosphere of the cabin was dull and the paint job was sloppy in some areas of the room. I was not really bothered by the decor of the stateroom but only want to state the appearance in case there may be passengers who may have more discriminating taste than I do.  <br /><br />SERVICE  <br />What the Regal Empress lacks in an aging decor, she more than makes up with the service provided by the crew.Our steward, Edgar, introduced himself on the first evening and let us know he was available if there was anything we wanted. Then, he disappeared for the rest of the cruise. We did however see evidence that he was taking good care of the room and preparing the traditional towel animals and turning down the bed linens in the evening. Our waiter and assistant waiter, Godolfredo and Isidro were very friendly and took good care of the guests. On the other hand, there are hard sales tactics used to serve drinks and tours. This borders on being annoying. At one point I heard an announcement that there was a &quot;mandatory&quot; meeting in the Grand Lounge to talk about activities for port day. I assumed I could skip the talk.  <br /><br />FOOD  <br />The Regal Empress serves three basic meals each day and offers afternoon tea at 4:00 PM on port day. We learned early to eat every meal at its proper time because there is very little to be found inbetween meals. The food was well prepared and very basic. Most of the meals are served in the main diningroom. Lunch is open seating in the main diningroom. Being a vegetarian I have to judge the food based on the vegetarian offerings. The vegetarian menu consists mostly of steamed vegetables and pasta dishes. The vegetarian entrees, although not fancy, were very adequate. My traveling companion stated that the poached salmon was outstanding. There is not much for vegetarians during afternoon tea. The cookies and desserts during afternoon tea were very tasty. The macaroons were outstanding. Since this was a very short cruise the chef has to make an immediate impact to impress the guests. Although I was not extremely impressed with the cuisine, I was satisfied with. it.   <br /><br />ENTERTAINMENT  <br />The main showroom of the Regal Empress is only one level and the ceiling is very low. There were times when I was afraid that the dancers would kick high enough to kick the ceiling or bump their heads when they were being lifted. The show was very entertaining. The musicians played extremely well and the dancers were exciting. The singers had great vocal instruments but sang with heavy accents, sometimes to a point where they were not understood. Overall, they put on a fine presentation.  <br /><br />PORTS  <br />Downtown Nassau seemed very clean this particular trip. We enjoyed walking around town and doing a little shopping. No visit would be complete without a stop at the straw market. Because our trip was so short we were only allowed to bring back 4 oz. of liquor. We bought back one bottle of rum liquer without a problem.  <br /><br />DEBARKATION  <br />The Regal Empress offers guest breakfast on debarkation day, early seating and late seating. We had late seating but I noticed the diningroom staff tried to accommodate guests who missed their early seating breakfast. After breakfast we picked up our carry-ons from the stateroom and proceeded to the main lounge to wait for debarkation. Others opted to wait on the Promenade Deck or other public rooms. Those passengers who could take off there own luggage were allowed to leave the ship first. Everyone else had to wait until about 9:45 to <br /><br />CONCLUSION  <br />Although the Regal Empress is not glitzy and she is showing signs of aging, I do believe it is a very enjoyable cruise for those who are searching for a very short cruise. I had made some special request and all of them were granted without a problem. As a result of my telling the reservation agent that I was a vegetarian, I received a phone call from the maitre d&#39; asking what type of vegetarian I was. It turned out that there were vegetarian entrees for ovo-lacto vegetarians already on the menu. All of the passengers that I met said they had a good time. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to sail on one of the classic liners. Although she is small, she does not have a closed in feeling. Despite what I said about the decor and the cuisine I did enjoy myself. But, you have to realize that I would probably enjoy myself on any cruise. I&#39;m not a finicky person. The crew works very hard to satisfy the guests and I would sail the Regal Empress again in a heartbeat.',1171228432,0,'Bahamas','',172,'Mebert',1,36,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(97,130,'5/27/06','The ?bottom line? is, if you want to experience classic cruising, with good food and very decent entertainment, you can?t miss.','This was my fourth sailing on the Regal Empress. More correctly, this was my third sailing on her as the Regal Empress, following my initial voyage aboard her as the Caribe I.   <br /><br /><br />She was, originally, built in 1953, and her maiden voyage was on April 16, 1953, sailing as the Olympia.<br /><br />In 1974 she was laid up, when Greek Lines went under, and she was purchased by Sally Shipping in 1981.   She was completely refitted, renamed the Caribe I, and sailed the Caribbean for Commodore Cruise Lines as ?The Happy Ship.? <br /><br />In 1993, she was sold to Imperial Majesty Cruise lines, renamed the Regal Empress, and began sailing two-night cruises from Port Everglades, in Fort Lauderdale, to Nassau, Bahamas. <br /><br />The reason I went through this short history was to point out one fact; she?s an old ship.  <br /><br />You must keep this in mind if you are contemplating a voyage on the last of the classic cruise ships still in operation. She?s small, by today?s standards, and not everything works the way it?s supposed to.   The experience aboard her is very different that that you experience on today?s mega-liners. She?s a ?bed-and-breakfast? among a world of giant resorts.  Be forewarned, if you?ve been spoiled by today?s ships, with soaring atriums, multiple dining venues, balconies, and such, you will be disappointed.   But, if you want to experience, to some degree, the adventure of ?classic cruising,? this is the only ship upon which you can go back in time, a mere 15 years, or so, and get the feel of yesterday.  <br /><br />Boarding begins sharply at 1:00 pm. The process is painless, and about the same as you, generally, experience on any other ship leaving from Port Everglades. You are greeted, at the end of the gangway, by a member of the cruise director?s staff. There is a line of cabin attendants waiting to take whatever hand luggage you may have, and escort you to your cabin.   <br /><br />The ?welcome aboard buffet,? on Promenade Deck, was excellent. For starters, at the beginning of the line, a waiter hands you your tray, complete with plate and silver. Not too many cruise lines still provide trays at the buffet, and you are left to juggle your food, silver, drink, etc; As you walk the buffet line, servers place the food on your plate, rather than you trying to cope with holding your stuff and serving yourself. Once seated, there are attendants, at the ready, but not intrusive, to take your tray, emptied plates, and serve you another cup of coffee. All the time, wearing white gloves. Surprising, for a ?budget/bargain? cruise. After all, rates start at &#036;129.99, p.p., double occupancy for the two-night cruise. Discovery does a day cruise, no cabin (lockers?), three buffet meals, and a trip to Freeport, for &#036;99.00?.. Here you get a cabin, sit-down dining room meals, all your entertainment, midnight buffet, for three days, for &#036;30.00 more&#33;  <br /><br />The food was really very good. In fact, while there was no steak, or lobster, the variety of food was more than adequate. Always a chicken dish, a fresh fish, a beef and one other, such a lamb, and, always, a vegetarian offering. The fish and chicken dishes were, especially, well prepared. The service in the dining room excellent; water and iced tea glasses were re-filled when ? empty. Friendly and efficient waiters.  <br /><br />Because the main show lounge is only one deck high, the entertainment is a little limited. However, the shows are more cabaret style, and the ?eastern European? entertainers very talented. They present a different show each night.  <br /><br />You are offered a varied, if not limited, evening of entertainment. Other than the shows, they have a disco, a piano bar (with a very talented, friendly, piano player), karaoke and dancing in the show lounge. On desck, a band plays from 11:30, on, and the midnight buffet, poolside on the Promenade Deck. Of course, you can always hit the casino&#33;   <br /><br />The ?bottom line? is, if you want to experience classic cruising, with good food and very decent entertainment, you can?t miss. If you?ve been ?spoiled? by all the things that today?s cruising offers, pay the extra few dollars and go on a ?standard? 3-night cruise.',1171228483,0,'Bahamas','',502,'DaCruzNut',1,246,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(98,127,'9/16/05','Radisson has a reputation as a deluxe cruise line, and it fully lived up to the reputation.','No one on this board had reviewed a Radisson ship. We though it was time for someone to do so, particularly since we had such a great trip.  <br /><br /><br />Cruise: 9/16 to 24, 2005? Montreal to New York  <br /><br />Overview  <br />We?ve gotten spoiled on our last two cruises, first on Windstar, then on Radisson. This was a jazz cruise, and featured the best entertainment we?ve ever had, on land or on a cruise ship. It also featured great food and service. While the itinerary was not as exciting as our Windstar cruise from Nice to Lisbon, the ports were generally well handled, and we had a great time.  <br /><br />Ship <br />  By modern cruise ship standards the Navigator, with 490 passengers, is a small ship. It never felt too small, and it was great never having to wait on line for anything. The Navigator is infamous for vibration in the rear of the ship, particularly the Portofino grill, and we?re generally sensitive to movement. Joe never felt any vibration, Joan just a bit (but not enough to bother her). The ship was roomy and comfortable.  <br /><br />Public rooms <br />  For a ship with so few PAX there were a surprising number of public rooms: two restaurants, Compass Rose (main) and Portofino (buffet and alternative), a large showroom (Seven Seas Lounge), a casino, and several lounges, both large and small. We didn?t try the casino or the Stars lounge, but people seemed to be having a good time in both places. There were two lounges near the main desk: a cigar and fine liqueurs lounge (Connoisseur Club, too smoky for us&#33;) and a lounge (Navigator) that served good coffee and tea at all times, and usually had cookies or hors d?oeuvres. That was very comfortable, even though there was no entertainment when we were there. We were never in the piano bar, Galileo?s.  <br /><br />Most shows were in the Seven Seas Lounge or the largest bar area, the Vista Lounge. Seven Seas was never overcrowded, so we were able to catch all shows we wanted to see. (In contrast, on the Celebrity Horizon, we had two or three times when we couldn?t get into a show. The Vista Lounge had friendly bartenders, good hors d?oeuvres, and terrific bar snacks. It was the site of sever of the jazz concerts, trivia contests, afternoon tea, etc. A very pleasant place.  <br /><br />Fellow passengers and family <br />  A good age mix, but mostly between 40 and 60. There were two young girls and one baby boy onboard-no other children. The clientele was probably 75% American, 5 percent Japanese (a group), and 25 percent British, other European, and Australian. The jazz theme probably resulted in a younger than usual mix of passengers.  <br /><br />On this cruise there was no apparent kids? program.  <br /><br />Fitness and recreation <br />  We?re walkers, and we walked rather than trying the gym. The gym appeared to be of fairly large size for such a small ship. There were also lots of supervised mild athletics, such as morning walk, putting contest, ring toss, etc. There was a nice looking spa, but we didn?t try it. One thing the ship lacks is a covered pool, and it was too cold for outdoor swimming.  <br /><br />Dress Code and tipping <br /><br /><br />There were no formal nights, three informal nights (jacket, but tie not required), and five casual nights on our eight night cruise.  <br /><br />There is no tipping required or expected on Radisson.  <br /><br />Best part of the trip <br />  A tossup between the food and the entertainment (both described below), with a slight nod to the food. The service and the friendliness of the crew were a close third, and we became very friendly with the assistant cruise director. This was a Jazz cruise, featuring Bucky Pizzarelli and an equally talented ensemble. We loved every minute they played. The jazz elevated this cruise?s entertainment to some of the best we?ve enjoyed. The crew?s show consisted of lip-synching, but was fun, anyway. I miss the native dances performed on some other (HAL) cruises, but the jazz made up for that lack. Their regular entertainers were also superb ? their duo was perfectly respectable, even compared to the jazz greats.  <br /><br />Worst part of the trip <br />  Disembarkation, both because we were sorry to have to leave the ship, and because things were so overcrowded that we posted a thread entitled ?Chaos on the New York piers.? There has to be a better way than to have two porters for 6 cruise ships. We were at the far end of the terminal, and there was NOBODY, and NO CARTS, to help with luggage. This is often a nightmare. The cruise lines believe the cruise is over, and they can focus on their arriving passengers ? but disembarkation is also part of the cruise for the traveler, There were only three other things messed up on our eight day cruise, luggage delivery on embarkation, the Halifax shuttle back from the Public Garden (which was early, so we were on time and missed it), and the frequency of tenders in Bar Harbor, which caused us to miss lunch. That?s pretty good for eight days.  <br /><br />Embarkation <br />  Our ship arranged flight to Montreal went smoothly, we got our bags quickly, and met our transfer bus immediately. We were taken directly to the pier, and arrived at 10:50 a.m., which was too early to board. Our luggage was placed in a secure storage area, which subsequently caused one of the few problems on the trip. The line apparently forgot about the luggage, which didn?t get to our room (after we complained) until about 4:30 p.m.  <br /><br />We walked around Montreal, and got back to the pier at around 12:15. Embarkation was quick and friendly. We got our cruise cards, got a glass of champagne, left our carryon in the room (which wasn?t supposed to be ready yet, and wasn?t), and went to Portofino, where we had the first of many great meals. By the time we were finished, our room was ready.  <br /><br />Accommodations <br />  These were the largest rooms we?d had on our seven cruises (300 square feet), and we enjoyed the roominess, the walk in clothes closet, the down duvets, the separate tub and shower: in short, everything. We didn?t have a balcony, and didn?t feel we needed one.  The stewardess was attentive to our needs. The room was kept clean, and when we asked for something (ice, more shampoo, etc.) it arrived promptly. The towels and bathrobes were good, and the fruit bowl was kept filled.  <br /><br />Wining and Dining <br />  The food in the dining rooms was so good, and so convenient, that we tried room service only twice, for breakfast. We made a special request for ?crabs benedict?, and got them on the second day (24 hour notice is needed) This demonstrated Radisson?s willingness to honor special requests. While the crabmeat eggs benedict sounded better than they tasted, but the rest of the meal was superb. The hot things were hot, the cold things cold and everything in-between was just as it should be. Breakfast and lunch were served in the Compass Rose, but other food was available in a variety of locations.   <br /><br />We had two lunches off the ship, on excursions in Prince Edward Island (Lobster) and Louisbourg, Nova Scotia (soldiers? fare). The remainder were at Portofino or, in one case, at the pool grill. In all cases, lunch was well presented, hot or cold as it was supposed to be, and delicious. There was always something exotic, and we like exotic. As for the service, the waiters practically fought over which one would carry our food to the table. .   <br /><br />Dinners were even better than breakfasts and lunches: good choices, and steak, chicken, healthy and vegetable choices, and grilled fish were always available. We?re not steak fans, but enjoyed ?Italian steak house? nigh at Portofino. We had a second night at Portofino, for ?A taste of Italy.? The food wasn?t as good as on other nights in Portofino and the main dining room, but who cared: we were having so much fun with the singing waiters and the hokey Italian songs. Don Vito?s staff from the Diamond have arrived on the Navigator&#33;  <br /><br />The wine was abundant, freely poured, and delicious ? and was, of course, complimentary. We had so much wine and port at dinner that our bar tab was zero.  <br /><br />Open sitting was generally good, although we do see some benefit to fixed seating with the same waiter every night. We ate by ourselves, with people we met, and (once) at a randomly assigned table. If there was a down side, it was that meals started at seven, which is later than we like to eat on vacation. That, in turn, mean that the shows started very late for us: 9:30 or 9:45. We missed several shows, including some great jazz (see below) because we simply were too tired to go to such late (for us) shows.  <br /><br />Ports and Itinerary <br />  Unlike our two weeks in the Western Med. Last year, this was not a ?killer itinerary?; but it had some very pleasant ports. Montreal and Quebec were rainy, but we did enjoy a private (non-ship) tour of Quebec, and the Quebec Museum of Civilization was terrific. We took ship?s excursions in Charlottetown and Sydney , but would have enjoyed either city without any excursion. Halifax is always fun, especially when you are greeted by Theodore the Tugboat as you enter the big harbor. We took a ferry across the harbor and back, saw the Maritime museum, visited the public garden (but, as noted above, missed the shuttle back to the ship because it left early), and walked along the waterfront.  <br /><br />Bar Harbor was disappointing. We had reserved an independent tour, but ended up with a ship?s tour because of the timing of our visit. The park was beautiful and we had a nice walking tour; but the tour guide and driver refused to let us off at a museum we wanted to go to. (WHY? ) We ended up walking up and down a typical New England resort town: every window a place to take your money. Typical tourist stuff, prices too high (and too similar ? all the shops sold t-shirts for a price within &#036;1.00 of each other, all the ice cream cost the same, all the sandwiches cost within &#036;1.00 of each other) nothing special. We just missed a tender, had a 25 minute wait, then just missed lunch. (That?s when we ate a good lunch poolside). All in all, Bar Harbor was the low point of the trip.  <br /><br />Boston was a surprising high point. After living in Boston for three years, what could we do that would be interesting during a very short time in port? The answer was: plenty. We walked the Freedom Trail to Old Ironsides, had a great (free) tour of the ship, walked through the (free) museum saw a (&#036;3.00) multimedia re-enactment of the Battle of Bunker Hill, then took an inexpensive ferry back to our shuttle pickup point. Great fun, and something we?d never done. Obviously, the Tourist Office of Boston AND the National Parks Service AND the U.S. Navy AND the MBTA have advised people working with tourists how to treat them  <br /><br />Excursions <br />  We used ship?s excursions in three ports. In Bar Harbor, we took a ?Walking Tour with Cadillac Mountain?. The tour was interesting and the view from the mountain gorgeous; but, as noted, it ended on a sour note when we couldn?t get off the bus where we wanted to get off. We would have done just as well with lunch on board ship and ?Oli?s. In Louisbourg, we planned on taking a cab from the ship to the fortress. The ship, however, docked at Sydney, so we had to take a ship?s tour to get to the fortress. Our six person kitchen and garden tour was expensive but good, and we enjoyed the fortress very much. Sydney, itself, had some history and I?m sure we could have walked their historic district happily.  <br /><br />We?ve saved the best for last: Anne of Green gables and Dalvay-by-the-Sea. We?re big Anne fans, so we took the deluxe tour, which included a lovely tour of PEI National Park, lobster and mussel lunch at an old seaside ?cottage? that is now a landmark hotel, and Green Gables. Joan dressed up as Anne, complete with red wig (with pigtails), calico dress, and basket of goodies. Wonderful.  <br /><br />Entertainment <br />  Entertainment was the best we?ve ever had. The show room and Vista lounge were comfortable, the cast shows (six talented young people) and entertainers were fine, and the lounge players were excellent. This was all overshadowed by the special signature events of the cruise: this was a jazz cruise. And what jazz&#33; Eleven jazz men and women, many of them famous: Bucky Pizzarelli, John Allred, Randy Sandke, Nikki Parrott, Calolyn Leonhart, and several others. There was jazz once or twice a day: in the showroom, the Vista lounge, and by the pool. Hot jazz, cool jazz, old and new, New Orleans, Chicago, and Memphis style. Soloists, big combos, small combos. Total saturation, after we hadn?t been to a jazz concert in years. We loved every minute. What was best, the jazz performers were treated as passengers when they weren?t performing, and we kept running into them: at dinner, around the ship, in ports. We saw them as people, not just performers.  <br /><br />There was only one down side to the entertainment, as noted above. Because of the single sitting, the evening shows were uncomfortably late for us.   <br /><br />Level of service <br />  Even better than the generally excellent service last November on Windstar. We can?t wait for our next Radisson cruise, which (due to tight vacation schedules in 2006) will probably be in 2007.  <br /><br />Tipping <br />  None is required or accepted.  <br /><br />Disembarkation <br />  There were seven ships in the port of New York, so disembarkation was awful. See our post on ?Chaos on the New York piers? on a very popular cruising board. We were comfortable, if bored, during the long, long wait to get off the ship.  <br /><br />Final impressions <br />  Radisson has a reputation as a deluxe cruise line, and it fully lived up to the reputation.',1171228564,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]regent.gif',2167,'JoanandJoe',1,138,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(99,108,'8/31/04','Although I always think the last cruise was the best, this truly was a wonderful experience.','This ship is smaller (675 passengers) than the mega liners and the itineraries are very port-intensive. No huge Broadway-type entertainment, but the food and service are exceptional. Dining is open seating and eating in the two specialty restaurants (Polo Grill -- surf and turf -- and Toscana -- Italian) have no addidional charge. Assistance offered in the Computer Lab for digital camera users was terrific, and they burned a photo CD for you at the end of the cruise for only &#036;15. Fellow passengers were very savvy and many toured independently in the ports, so there was always someone to share a taxi with. <br /><br /><br />Although I always think the last cruise was the best, this truly was a wonderful experience. I have never encountered a friendlier staff, nor a finer menu. The beds are called &quot;Tranquility Beds&quot; and are very comfortable, with down pillows and comforters and fine cotton linens. The provided toiletries are spa-quality. There was never a problem getting a lounge chair at the pool, even on sea days. There is a self-service laundry which costs &#036;3.00 per load (wash and dry) using tokens from the purser. There is a free cocktail party hosted by the ship and Yahoo.com if you sign up in advance through Yahoo Groups, Oceana Cruisers for your departure. This was terrific, since it meant we started our trip with 32 &quot;friends&quot; we met through the Yahoo Board. We would absolutely recommend them, and hope to travel with Oceania again.',1171228653,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]oceania.gif',1580,'mgm445',1,139,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(100,109,'8/11/06','Oceania is a bit pricier than the premium lines (HAL, Princess, Celebrity), but the service and ambiance is wonderful.','Oceania Nautica, Aug 11, 2006  <br /><br /><br />We just returned from our 28th cruise, on the Oceania Nautica, and my wife says it is her best ever. I had booked several customers on Oceania who raved about the service and we wanted to find out for ourselves.   <br /><br />We flew to Barcelona a day early to enjoy the city, staying on the Ramblas in Hotel Royal. &#036;159 plus tax and we had a room overlooking the Ramblas on the 4th floor. No noise. And it is a short ride to the pier.  <br /><br />We stayed in a category B2 balcony cabin 6077. The next cabin forward was a B1, and more expensive. All the balconies on the B2, B1, and A1,2,3 (concierge) are the same size. Only suites on deck 8 are larger. Balconies are very private. The cabin is typical of balcony cabins, but no refrigerator. The shower is very small.  <br /><br />Service is exceptional, with 400 staff for 684 guests, and they really appear to enjoy their work and provide exceptional service. Dining is open seating in the Dining Room, and Tapas on the Terrace (the high end buffet style dining), and by reservation in the two specialty restaurants Toscano and Polo. There is no service charge for the specialty restaurants. There are plenty of tables for two, and only twice did we have a short (5 minute) wait for a table, in the Dining Room. Dinner menus seemed to have a lot of steak and beef, but there was an ample choice of fish, which included sea bass, grilled tuna, corvina, swordfish, salmon, and a wok seafood dish of shrimp, scallops and salmon. Desserts were excellent, including creme brulee in the dining room and specialty restaurants. Tables for two are arranged close enough to others to talk, but separated enough to be &quot;separate&quot;.  <br /><br />The single pool was never crowded and there are plenty of loungers, including double seating lounges, all with cushions and terry cloth covers. The casino is small but adequate. We had not expected much entertainment, but during the 10 days we had three shows by a staff of 4 singers, and we also had a terrific illusionist, and two musical/singing performances by a husband wife team...the husband is the orchestra director. There is also a pianist in the piano bar nightly. Dancing was available nightly in a variety of locations, usually the Horizon Lounge on Deck 10 forward where a sextet from the orchestra played until 11 or 12 at night.  <br /><br />There are no live &quot;port talks&quot;, just a repeating short TV talk by the cruise director, and it had no port map with the daily newsletter. It wasn&#39;t until the 4th port that we discovered that for a few hours each port morning there was someone near the purser&#39;s desk who distributed local maps and provided directions and port information. These passengers are, for the most part, 55+ and well traveled. We heard no &quot;griping&quot; all cruise&#33;  <br /><br />While advertised as country club casual and the brochures show men in jackets, there were very few jackets, no ties, and women did wear nice dresses in the evening, including some cocktail dresses. The day wear was like any other ship.  <br /><br />Internet service is VERY slow but they do have wireless hotspots all over the ship. The internet lab had about 24 stations, and there were 2 more in the library for use if computer classes were in session.  <br /><br />They had good TV with CCN, Fox News, BBC, and a number of movie channels.  There were no lines onboard, for anything, even tenders, except for embarkation check-in, which was done onboard in a lounge. There was absolutely no &quot;pushing tropical drinks&quot; and no onboard photographers, at all. Fine&#33;  <br /><br />In Barcelona they allowed me to go back on the pier, purchase wine, sangria, and gin and bring it back to my cabin.  <br /><br />Our itinerary was termed Art Reigns Supreme and the ports reflected that. Sailing from Barcelona, we visited Marsaille, Monte Carlo, Civatavecchia/Rome, Livorno/Florence/Pisa, Amalfi, Taormina, Valetta Malta, one day at sea, and an overnight in Athens before debarking. A smaller ship, we often were in choice berths, with the larger ships further from the port. Lots of walking&#33; And I think I have now seen all the churches and museums I could stand for a while, but the art was superb, including Gaudi in Barcelona, the Vatican Museum, the Accademi in Florence, St John&#39;s in Valetta, and of course the Acropolis, Agora, and Plaka in Athens. Without doing a travelogue, I will add that I did use Bob&#39;s Limos and Tours <a href=\"http://romelimousines.com/\" target=\"_blank\">http://romelimousines.com/</a> in Civitavecchia and Livorno, and we were very pleased with experience, especially with the driver in Livorno/Florence/Pisa, who even took us via the Tuscan countryside at our request. In Athens we did use George Taxi and Limo <a href=\"http://www.greecetravel.com/taxi/\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.greecetravel.com/taxi/</a>, where George&#39;s son Dennis picked us up in a limo instead of taxi, as his father, the taxi driver, was on vacation in the islands. He took the time to help me find the house I lived in there from 1972-75, and at our request took us to local, non tourist, restaurant for lunch were we enjoyed salata horiatiki with a giant slab of feta and kalamata olives, tzetziki, moussaka, lamb fricasse, and swordfish kabobs.  <br /><br />The &quot;free air&quot; included was Lufthansa from Dulles to Barcelona via Frankfort, and Air France from Athens via Paris to Dulles. Lufthansa was superb, and both offered multiple meals, and complimentary wine and cordials. All our baggage made it, leaving a day early, but some passengers whose flights were through London, never got their luggage until we arrived in Athens, due to the security scares in London. On the way back, at our connection in Paris, at gate check-in they researched all carry-ons and body searched every passenger. Having watched the news on Fox and CNN we had no problem, but it meant we didn&#39;t try to bring back bottles of olive oil or liquor, as we had planned.  <br /><br />Oceania is a bit pricier than the premium lines (HAL, Princess, Celebrity), but the service and ambiance is wonderful.',1171228696,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]oceania.gif',131,'JohnG',1,275,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(102,86,'5/1/06','We cruised the Lirica in April 2005 on her Panama Canal cruise. It was a wonderful experience. The service was great . . . . cruise people were friendly and accomodating to our needs.','Some people were critical of the shipboard announcements because they were repeated in five languages . . . .english, spanish, french, italian, and german. We didn&#39;t find this objectionable . . . . just added to the european ambiance.   <br /><br />Speaking of european ambiance, some ladies decided to sunbath on the pool topless. While this sounds titilating (pun intended) many of the people who opted for this should have kept their clothes on.   <br /><br />I don&#39;t want this to be too long, but one more comment. The food was uniquely european. Ninety percent of the time it was excellent. And you could always order a steak or seafood at dinner. A traveling companion order a seafood salad and was suprised to see little octopus tentacles with suckers etc. He didn&#39;t eat that. Our biggest food dissapointment was the cannoli. Being born and raised ten miles from New York City, Pat and I know what cannoli should taste like and looked forward to having it on this Italian cruise ship. It was the worst we&#39;ve ever had.  <br /><br />To summarize, we would go on the Lirica again and again. It&#39;s a class ship with class service.   <br /><br />The following is a review about the Lirica that was written after our April 2005 cruise and is about the cruise we will be taking in December 2006. It is more detail than I have provided and a fair reflection on our ship experiences. I thought that I would include it in this review. <br /><br />MSC Lirica  <br />March 9-20, 2006 <br />Southern Caribbean <br />by Dale Griffen  <br /><br />Our 11 day cruise on MSC Lirica to the South Caribbean visited San Juan, St. Maarten, Grenada, Barbados, Antigua, Tortola, and Cayo Levantado. I had plenty of time to relax on the balcony and compose some great info from the trip&#33; Enjoy.  Staff: I found most of the waitstaff and hardworking jobs filled by Indonesians, but a ton of Italian, Romanian, Bulgarian, and a few German staff as well. <br /><br />Shows: We are in our 30?s, so we skipped the Strings At Sea show, but loved the Latin, Oriental, and Variety Shows. Hated the ventriloquist? horrible voice and totally not funny. We sat up front and were chosen to help with the acrobatic act&#33; The juggler, magician, and acrobats were all excellent.   SHIP <br /><br />Stateroom: We were greeted by the white gloved staff that showed us to our room and explained how to use everything. We had a suite. Very well appointed, plenty of room, walk-in closet with 15 hangers, 7 drawer dresser, floor room for luggage, 2 shelves and a high shelf for shoes and 3 life-vests. In addition to the walk-in there were two closets in hall with 1 small shelf, 3 medium, and one large shelf, separated by a large 3? glass shelf, with floor length mirror behind it. Daily fruit bowl left here. Main room with corner desk with large hinged mirror that opens to a safe, and shelves. Two 3? wide floor length mirrors in main room. Love seat that folds out to a bed, with nice coffee table. . Bureau with 3 doors with 2 shelves on either side, middle is mini-bar. TV on top, as well as ice/water tray. The cabin steward refills a few times during the day. Occasionally I would go to the pantry (every door in the ship is labeled, and most of the non-guest rooms on 10 are on the inside of the ship) for ice, or to drop off a tray that I didn?t want in the room anymore. Just know that the 10th floor (mostly suites) is just below the pool deck 11. You will hear them when they put out the lounge chairs, when the few kids on board run, or when they have the pool party it can be loud.   CREW  <br /><br />Anna Maria was our cabin steward. Very nice, Italian lady. Always asked if there was anything at all we needed, very sweet. I gave her &#036;20 the first day and although with her, I think we would have gotten excellent service anyway, she was superb. At times, or when there are heavy seas, they have a robotic balcony/window washer, they will notify you the night before, so you don?t sleep with the balcony open&#33;) But other days, if you want to spend time on the balcony, just ask (or leave a note) for them to wash your balcony down for you. I was surprised at the amount of salt that accumulates on the balcony&#33; <br /><br />Alin (Romanian) at the fore bar on deck 11 (La Canzone de la Mar fore) was also excellent. Very good service excellent espressos and very friendly. Jose in the Blue Bar disco is a good bartender. Courteous and attentive.  <br /><br />Mateus the gym instructor is also nice. Attended the free 8am stretch class. Make sure to check out the Turkish steam room and sauna. Beautifully appointed. The best view for locker rooms I?ve EVER seen. The Balinese women are constantly trying to give you a ?free? 5 minute chair massage (especially if you go near the gym). I declined because I knew that once they started I?d sign up for the whole package and they are expensive.  <br /><br />Andrea Olivieri is the cruise director. Very nice guy. Since our cruise was primarily Italian, German, Dutch, French, and English, he announced everything in each language on the loud speakers and in introducing the shows He doesn?t even take a breath between translations and his use of the language seems perfect. Listening to him is entertaining in and of itself&#33;  <br /><br />FOOD  <br /><br />Lunches and Dinners in the restaurant. We only attended one dinner and one lunch Eating at a table with others is ok, but we weren?t in the mood to dress up and we had an early seating and preferred to eat later anyway. Had lunch one day at La Bussola. Service both times was horrible. The people we had dinner with said that the three previous nights were horrible as well. One problem, if you don?t go to the pizza buffet or the burger/hot dog buffet on 11 aft behind the pool on either side of the bar by 8pm, you have to wait until the ?Midnight Buffet? which at times can be anything from a fruit Flamb? to a full on tropical buffet, but unpredictable. Desserts were fair at best. Drinks somewhat expensive even for a cruise. We asked our cabin steward to keep us stocked on Miller Light in our rooms, just about the best deal ? except for the &#036;4.50 large Heinekens on tap at the bars ? about 1.5 bottles worth.  <br /><br />They don?t allow you to bring your own alcohol on board, but we and many others did anyway with NO problem at all. Security seems pretty lax. I did however, put my Seagram?s 7 (amber) in a large, cleaned Hydrogen Peroxide bottle, and my rum (clear) in a large, cleaned rubbing alcohol bottle. Then mixed it with sprite, or orange juice (ordered extra with breakfast)   Room Service: 24 hours and quick  <br /><br />Breakfast: just fill out card and hang on door. Always came at requested time. Grab some Nutella at the breakfast buffet for your room when you order room service. The espresso on the ship is EXCELLENT at 1.50/shot (I would order a double and add it to my coffee for that added ?kick?). <br /><br />PORTS OF CALL <br /><br />The ship was always right on time as stated in the itinerary.  <br />San Juan ? walked around Old San Juan, up to the Fort (bought some sodas to replace the ones I used in the Mini Bar)   St. Maarten ? 2nd favorite port&#33; Used Joe the cab driver to get to Lucky Stables (&#036;15) for a 1 hour ride in the hills and out into the beach. Michel was our Venezuelan guide? excellent&#33; Gave us a great tour (saw John Travolta&#39;s house) and then he showed us some of the foals, the largest horse there, and their semi-albino horse. Then Joe met us at the stable and gave us a complete guided tour of the island for &#036;40. <br /><br />Grenada ? make sure your taxi driver is licensed, has a picture ID, and will actually be your driver. They have commissioned guys begging for your business and will promise you the world and then turn you over to another driver that will know nothing of your demands, requests? be careful. Demand A/C? a lot don?t have it. We walked first up to the Fort/old prison. Then got the taxi (our guy was also a constable during the evenings) and had him take us on a tour (&#036;35) to a spice stand on the side of the road with a great view of the valley. The lady gave us a great spice demonstration and we bought some goods. We saw two waterfalls, and had him take us to Grand Etang to see the volcanic lake at the top. It was raining, so our views were limited. Had dinner at Deynas on Mellville St. in St. George before embarking. Food was homemade and good.  <br /><br />Barbados ? be careful here too. We just walked around the port. And got back on ship.  <br /><br />Antigua ? 1st favorite stop. By far the most beautiful island on the cruise. Do rent a car; call ahead, Dollar will pick you up and take you the Factory Road office. You have to get a 3 month Antiguan Drivers License for &#036;20. Plus request an SUV, roads can be potholed and they don?t cover tires. Drive to Jolly Harbour, then through Fig Tree Drive? buy some home made preserves, etc from Elaine at ?The Cultural Shop?? walk up to the Dam behind her stand and pet the cute donkeys. Watch for mongoose, pretty birds, etc. Go to Abracadaba for lunch in Nelson?s Dockyard, then try Shirley Heights for a good view (&#036;5 to the park). Then try Half Moon Bay? best beach they say (of the 365 they have). Then drive to Devils Bridge for a natural limestone ?bridge? you can stand on while the surf pounds on either side of you.  <br /><br />Tortola ? Tied for 2nd favorite stop. One of the prettiest islands. Walk up the port past the scooters and rent a car at Itgo. They gave us a 20% discount on a Range Rover because we were going to be back at 1pm to get on the ship by 1:30. Make sure you have enough time to gas up, and find the way back to the agency? the streets are a little confusing in Road Town. Take a drive to Beef Island (the first turn off on the right after the bridge has a beautiful beach near Well Bay). Then drive back along Ridge Road for spectacular, if not precarious views. We drove up Lambert Rd, and saw the unpublicized prison&#33; Oops. We wanted to go to The Baths, which requires a ferry to Virgin Gorda, but we didn?t want to be rushed to see it, as we will probably be at the beach all day tomorrow. In Cayo Levantado.  Cayo Levantado ? this island, only used for about 4 years and doesn?t have a pier so you are tendered to the island. Ask your cabin steward for an early number? she gave us a #1 lottery number. (I heard it go up to about 12 or more) that way you can be off the ship earlier, as you have to be back pretty soon ? it will give you more time on Cayo. (They also give you large beach towels to use the night before with your lottery number) We got right to the island and staked out our lounge chairs. When you get off the tender boat, there are MSC tents along the walk. We grabbed a map and made our way to near the ?Pelican Nest? (a rock that Pelicans land on?) We got our lounge chairs poised between two palm trees so no one could park near us. We wanted to nap in the shade? this is the perfect spot. Just far away enough to hear the steel band, but far away enough to relax. When they serve lunch (more burgers, dogs, chicken breasts), you just leave your towel on the lounge and pop over the hill, grab lunch and we ate at our ?spot?. The whale watch area was under construction and inaccessible when we went.  <br /><br />TIPS <br /><br />? If you live in Florida (or near your cruise port), rent an economy car ? for like &#036;20 and just drop it off at the location. There is a Dollar Rent A Car near where I live and the Ft. Lauderdale Airport has a free shuttle to the cruise port. This way I avoided parking at like &#036;15/day, mileage on my car, and got better mileage (I have an SUV). Same for going home? the bus picks you up at the exit of the cruise terminal and drops you off at Dollar?s door. (Just be sure to fill up on gas before turning it in? they charge &#036;4.99/gal.  <br /><br />? Get a couple of Cruising/Caribbean books. We used the 2006 Fodor&#39;s Caribbean and a dated 2001 Cruise Vacations for Dummies. Both were VERY helpful.  <br /><br />? Print up labels for the people you might want to send postcards to on clear address labels. That way when you are ready to send them, all you have to do it stick the address on. This makes it much easier.  <br /><br />? Get your stamps and postcards together (most vendors that sell postcards, also sell stamps but run out at the end of the day) Then drop them at a post office or box where you are? most stamps are only valid in the country that they are for, you can only use US postage in Puerto Rico.  <br /><br />? Bring a couple packages of flushable wipes. The toilet paper is pretty dry on board.  <br /><br />? Bring bug spray  <br /><br />? Bring assorted sized baggies and bags (to save snacks for later, put passport, wallet in to keep dry, grab a handful of sugar white sand or shells whatever.  <br /><br />? Bring an alarm clock ? they don?t have one in the room  <br /><br />? Bring a hair dryer ? theirs sucks  <br /><br />? Bring an electric power bar, they only have two plug sockets at the desk, you might need it for recharging your phone, laptop, battery charger, hair dryer, etc.  <br /><br />? Bring DVDs and a player (or your laptop) or some good books. Their movies are very repetitive and boring.  <br /><br />? Bring a couple dimes and elastic bands for motion sickness wristbands. They sell the same idea at the pharmacy for a lot more money. Just put the dimes on your inside wrist about two finger widths above the palm (near your pulse). It works&#33;  <br /><br />? Turn your phones off before you go to bed the night before you get to Puerto Rico, Cayo Levantado, and back to Ft. Lauderdale (although you may pick up reception passing Puerto Rico at about 6:30 the night before). There are Verizon cell towers in these areas and you will be awakened early by your voice mails coming through.  <br /><br />? In Cayo Levantado it was suggested to try to get up early that day if you can, they say that about 3000 humpback whales winter off the coast of Samana from Dec to March. You may see some on your way in/out of Samana to the island of Cayo Levantado. I didn?t see any myself though. That way you don?t have to pay for a whale watching excursion? you may have your own free one.  <br /><br />? Bring a travel iron on board. I usually figure on my clothes getting wrinkled in travel and plan to just iron them when I get there. They don?t have any for you to use, and don?t have self-serve laundry on board. Their prices are pretty expensive for laundering and/or ironing. Shirts and trousers or jeans are 2.20 ironed, 4.30 laundered and ironed. Pants dry cleaned are 2.50 ironed, 10.00 laundered and ironed. Shorts are 1.30 ironed and 2.50 laundered and ironed. I just washed some things in the sink and hung them to dry in the shower on the retractable cord provided.  <br /><br />? You can adjust your tipping any way you want; they will charge you &#036;12/day per adult automatically. We just had a couple people we used, and tipped them in cash accordingly. And adjusted our automatic tips to cover room service etc, and you can write the amount and who you want to receive the tip on your form at the accounting desk.  <br /><br />Embarking and Disembarking are a cinch&#33; We walked on AND off the ship without waiting at all. When leaving, they separate the US from Foreign passengers. Just have your room key and passport handy, they keep the key when you leave. They give you a color coded tag for your luggage and ask you to put what you want them to carry off the ship to the terminal at your door. I wasn?t about to do that (I read earlier that MSC lost someone&#39;s luggage and expected the passenger to pay the shipping from Italy and wouldn?t budge). But the color of your tags tell you what order you will be called to get off the ship. Depending on if people have an early flight, etc., and they ask you to be out of your room by 8am. Two things. We asked our stewardess if we could just wait in our room, she of course agreed to clean our room last. Secondly, some of the passengers said they weren?t strict about waiting for your color tag to be called and left early. We were orange and weren?t called to leave till 10am. <br /><br />Don?t take any fruit off the ship. Make sure your kids don?t pack any away either. Customs charges &#036;250 per piece. I had &#036;2000 worth of pears, kiwi, oranges, apples that were left in our room from the daily fruit basket filling ? thankfully I had it in one bag. There was a family behind us whose kid put a couple apples in their backpack and almost got charged &#036;500.  <br /><br />Well, as you can see, I had a lot of time on the trip to type this. Hope it helps and answers some of the questions for you that I had before leaving.',1171228804,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]msc.gif',2597,'CruiseDuo',1,110,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(103,86,'12/7/06','Over all we enjoyed the cruise and most likely would cruise with MSC again.','This was our 4th cruise all taken within 2 years. Previous cruise were all on Princess.  <br /><br /><br />We booked this cruise in early July and booked an inside guarantee. We were pleasantly surprised when we were checking in and found we had been upgraded to a balcony, which they call a suite. We have been in either a balcony or suite and from what I understand no other line would have called this cabin a suite. The bathroom had a tub, which was very nice but a bit hard to get out of as it was very tall.  <br /><br />Our ports were: San Juan, St. Maarten, Grenada, Barbados, St. Lucia, Tortola and Cayo Levantado. We took ship excursions in San Juan, St Maarten and Grenada. They were handled very well. MSC worked at making sure that people who spoke different languages had their own tour bus and guide. We took our own tours in Barbados, St. Lucia and Tortola. We had very good drivers/guides on these.  <br /><br />As for Cayo Levantado there was supposed to be a &#036;19 pp charge for the tender to the island but MSC did drop this, most likely because very few had signed up. There was still a charge for the buffet on Cayo Levantado but I believe this was due to the ship not doing the buffet but having the hotel on the island providing it. We only saw one couple actually eating.  <br /><br />The passengers were a mix of Americans, Canadians, Britons, Germans, French and Italians. And while it is true that announcements are made in 5 languages the announcement are few and far between.  <br /><br />MSC has instituted the Art auction and the Inch of Gold but neither intruded on the impact of the cruise. They only have on deck that has the shops and the sales people are not pushing you to buy.  <br /><br />The one thing that really stood out for as being different on MSC was the entertainment and animation group.   <br /><br />While MSC is trying to bring in Americans the entertainment was very Italian, not even European (according to the British friends we made). I think they need to make some changes there. They could also do with turning down the volume on the music.   <br /><br />Also the animation group was all Italian and most times it was very hard to understand what they were saying in English. It would not hurt if they had a couple of these people whom English is their first language.  <br /><br />We heard many people complain about the food but really the only complaint we had about the food was that in a lot of items did not have much taste, very bland. It seems that the only items with a lot of flavor were the seafood salads and the soups. But we definitely did not starve.  <br /><br />The ship was very pretty and the Christmas decoration they put up were very nice and not over done. Most lounges and the dining rooms all had a Christmas tree and each was decorated a bit different from the next.  <br /><br />There were a few children on board and did not see any problems with any even though the hours of the children?s club were very short  <br /><br />The dress code for the cruise was 3 formal nights and the rest casual. Most passengers followed but of course some did not. This definitely did not detour for from our enjoyment.  <br /><br />Over all we enjoyed the cruise and most likely would cruise with MSC again.',1171228885,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]msc.gif',2473,'nlb1050',1,312,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(104,146,'8/14/05','Overall, a great vacation. I can?t really complain about anything. We all had a great time, the weather was perfect every day, except for about five minutes in St Maarten and ten minutes in Barbados.','Pre-cruise <br />We left California a few days early to pre-cruise in San Juan. We stayed three nights at the Marriott San Juan in the Condado area. The hotel was really nice, large rooms with a balcony overlooking the city. It had a very nice beach with chairs, umbrellas etc for guest use. <br /><br /><br />We spent the first day hanging around the hotel area and relaxing in the pool or on the beach.  On the second day we hired a van/driver for the day, it cost us &#036;270 for six of us. We went up to El Junque and drove and hiked around the rain forest. There were no cruise ships in port and very few people in the rain forest. After the rain forest we went over to Luquillo Beach and spent about 2-2? hours on the beach. Very enjoyable. The following day we spent on the beach at the hotel and then went shopping in Old San Juan.  We found several good, inexpensive restaurants near the hotel and enjoyed all our meals prior to the cruise.  <br /><br />Embarkation <br />We left the hotel around 11:00 am, took a taxi to the dock and stood in line for about 30-45 minutes. Once they started boarding, we had Diamond priority and we breezed aboard. The rooms were not available until 2:00 pm. We had lunch in the Windjammer, checked out the dining room table, set up the wine package and made reservations for Portofinos.  <br /><br />Room <br />We had a Cat D1 on deck 9. It was fair sized, same as Radiance class ships, with a balcony. Our daughter was next door and we had a door between the two rooms that was very convenient. The cabin steward was excellent, very efficient, if somewhat lacking in personality. Our rooms were made up immediately we left them with the ?Make up room? sign in the key slot.  <br /><br />Food <br />Food is always a personal thing, so this is just my opinion. I thought that the choices were limited, something that we had noted on previous RCI cruises. However, what I did have to eat I was quite pleased with. We certainly didn?t go hungry. I like appetizers and usually had two per night along with a soup. Enjoyed them all. We ate one night in Portofinos. It was outstanding. The service and food were excellent and the presentation out did the main dining room, and I always think their presentation is excellent. We had a friend with us on her first cruise. She was in awe of the dining room, the service and the food. In Portofinos she was almost speechless. <br /><br />The lunch buffets in the Windjammer were adequate. Fairly widespread choice. The traffic flow in the Windjammer is very poor when compared to Radiance class ships that have separate islands for salads, hamburgers, meats etc. On Adventure it was just one long line. I can?t comment on lunch in the dining room, we never had time. Same with breakfast. We had breakfast in the coffee shop on the Royal Promenade. The Promenade Caf? was a delight. Good coffee, great doughnuts and danish and in the afternoon, great pizza and sandwiches.  <br /><br />Ports <br />The Southern Caribbean is a busy cruise, five ports in a row and a final sea day.   <br /><br />St Thomas. We shopped in the morning, what else. No bargains. Electronic and camera stuff was about the same as at home. In the afternoon, we went on the Kon Tiki party boat. We had done this trip several years ago and it was just as much fun this time.  <br /><br />St Maarten. We went to Pinel Island. Snorkeling was OK, the water was on the cloudy side. The beach was first class, clean and not very many people. Thoroughly enjoyed the trip. In the afternoon we went into town and shopped for souvenirs (and a few beers). We liked St Maarten, very, very clean and no hassle from the locals.  <br /><br />Antigua. We got a taxi and went to a beach. The driver recommended Dickenson Beach and it was a good choice. Very clean, not too crowded and watersports if you want to participate. Our daughter, granddaughter and friend went horseback riding. We spent the afternoon shopping, at least the women did. SIL, GS and I checked out the local brews at one of the bars and watched the world walk by. SIL and daughter bought a diamond ring from Diamonds International. She was very thrilled with it and even more thrilled when she got home and had a local appraisal.  <br /><br />St Lucia. We did a sail trip on the Brig Unicorn. Very well done, lots of fun, beach time and very well set up.  <br /><br />Barbados. We did the turtle catamaran cruise. We all agreed that it was the best trip out of five excellent days. It was really well organized, first class service on board the cat and just flat out fun. Would do it again in a heart beat. We saw turtles, although the snorkeling was like swimming in an overcrowded pool. Too many people. Spent some time on the beach in Oyster Bay.  <br /><br />Entertainment. <br />The Ice Show was excellent. It?s amazing that you can watch an ice show while cruising the Caribbean. The ?Spectaculars? were OK, but not my choice. The Cruise Director was just too gung ho for my liking.  <br /><br />The Ship. <br />Like WOW. What can you say. It was our second time on Voyager class and it was still very impressive. The Royal Promenade is amazing, with it?s inside rooms, Sports Bar, shops and English Pub. The dining room is three stories high and breathtaking. Of course there?s the miniature golf, rockwall, ice skating, roller blading and full size basketball court, just in case you get bored.  <br /><br />Disembarkation <br />It went really smooth until we got to the airport. Then it was a zoo. Took us about an hour to check in. Just lots of people and there were only two ships in port. The flight home was long. We had gate problems in Dallas and we were 40 minutes late. Our friend missed her connection to LA. We then found out our flight was delayed 2 ? hours due to mechanical problems. We finally got home at 1:30 in the morning.  <br /><br />Overall, a great vacation. I can?t really complain about anything. We all had a great time, the weather was perfect every day, except for about five minutes in St Maarten and ten minutes in Barbados.',1171229013,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',590,'jbond',1,114,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(105,146,'7/2/06','We had a lot of fun and enjoyed almost every aspect of this trip, far different from our experiences last year on the Explorer.','Pre-Stay- We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in San Juan. No frills but price was right and the rooms were clean and well kept.   <br /><br /><br />The Ship- The Adventure was clean and showed minimal wear and tear. All the public areas were kept tidy and they were constantly cleaning everything in sight each morning and afternoon. Embarking and Debarking were excellent.  <br /><br />The Food- Having sailed on RCI many years the quality of the food has substantially declined. Most items were tasteless and boring. There were several saving graces this trip??.Our Head Waiter Emre from Turkey was the best. He as well as our Waiter Raluca and our Assistant Flor noticed that we didn?t eat very much. The head waiter and I had a discussion and every effort was made to help my DD and myself with the flavor of the food. They saut?ed garlic cloves each night for us and we chopped them and added them to the food and it was much improved. My DH was fine as he likes his food bland. We felt it was the best service and showed the most caring of any wait staff in many cruises. The service was excellent. We also asked for steamed veggies each night as well as my daughter?s favorite baked potatoes. I can?t say enough about the service&#33; RCI still has the best cookies&#33;&#33;&#33;  <br /><br />We ate in Portofino one night. Excellent Italian food and wonderful service, this is the food that the dining room used to serve??LOL&#33; Once the pay restaurants came on board the quality went down. My DH only paid for this one as a special treat for me and he?d never do it again. He just doesn?t believe in it. My DD and I loved every minute of the dining experience.  <br /><br />Cabin- We had an aft cabin on deck 7 with a large balcony with 3 lounge chairs and a table and 2 chairs. My DH loves this balcony for napping in the daytime, no crowds and little noise. Our cabin steward Justin from Jamaica was a dream&#33; He even folded my daughter?s clothes each evening, something that has been missing in recent years. He also brought us all the amenities that the suites get and we loved being spoiled.   <br /><br />Entertainment- Our entertainment pretty much consists of the casino these days. We did see Rondell Sheridan one evening and he was very good. We say him last year on the Explorer. On sea days the typical pool games were played but we loved the sexy leg contest. It was hysterical to say the least.   <br /><br />We did see the ice show but it wasn?t as nice as other?s we?ve seen. If you haven?t seen one then doesn?t miss it.  <br /><br />Crown and Anchor Loyalty Program- Jorge the Loyalty Ambassador got off to a slow start but made up for it along the way. As Diamond Plus Crown and Anchor members we are able to go places on the ship by invitation that is not open to the general public since 9/11. A snafu occurred with our Bridge tour due to Jorge?s error and I was disappointed as I really wanted to see how large the bridge is on a ship of this size. Jorge spoke to the Captain Nyseter and arranged for us to be on the Bridge during sail out from St. Martin. Wow what a view. Sorry folks no pictures for security reasons. This is one of the nicest captains I every met, a true gentleman. I was honored that he allowed us to watch him on the bridge. We also got to tour the massive kitchen which was very interesting. I have some pictures of that one. There were also the typical repeaters parties but we didn?t go to any of them. I wanted to go to the Diamond party but we were at the ice show. They had a Recital of some kind, would have liked to see it.  Casino- They have a wonderful crew several whom I?d had the pleasure of sailing with before. The usual games of course as well as a Texas Hold Em table.  <br /><br />Ports- Aruba, Curacao, St. Thomas, St. Martin. We snorkeled in Aruba and St. Martin with the ships excursions since it was only my daughter and I. Aruba was excellent for fish, St. Martin excellent for coral, we thought it was pretty good for a mass market shore excursion. We never did make it to Carlos and Charlies as we found a wonderful entertaining bartender that kept us occupied. We wandered around in St. Thomas and Curacao. These are all repeat ports for us.   <br /><br />Summary- Every crew member I came in contact with was pleasant and helpful. For a ship this size it?s amazing. One of RCI?s strongest points is their crew. Crown and Anchor Diamond &amp; Diamond plus perks are wonderful&#33; RCI has the best repeaters program that we?ve seen (Princess also is good once you get to the higher levels). Worst part was the food but I can live with it if the service stays excellent&#33;   <br /><br />I won?t be sailing this ship again as I hate to fly into San Juan but I will sail her sisters that I don?t have to fly to since we live in Florida. We had a lot of fun and enjoyed almost every aspect of this trip, far different from our experiences last year on the Explorer.',1171229054,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',334,'Sailingrose',1,242,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(106,164,'6/20/05','All in all, it was a most pleasent vacation. We will cruise again','Hi Gang, being that this was my first cruise, this is my first review, so be kind. <br /><br /><br />We were a extended family group of 22 people ranging in age from 18 to 82. We sailed out of Ft. Lauderdale. <br /><br />Day 1,<br />Sunday the 19th, 19 of our group flew out of Detroit Metro Airport, security went well and boarding was quick and easy, Northwest flight 242 was sold out and crowded. Only complaint, our group was not seated together, don&#39;t know if it was my TA fault or the airlines fault. Oh, well. Stayed at the Comfort Inn on Stirling Rd. Not the Ritz, but it was clean and the complememtary breakfast was good and filling and tided us over until the feeding frenzy on the ship. <br /><br />Day 2,<br />Arrived at the dock via the shuttle bus provided by the Hotel. Arrived at 11:15am for a 5:00pm sailing. Embarking could not have gone smoother, They started at 11:30am and we were on the boat by 11:50am. (First drink was a Pina Colada) We were in our rooms by 1pm. On the way to Key West, the Captain stopped the ship to investigate a capsized boat they observed. We stopped for about 45 minutes but could find no one in the water, Captain radioed the Coast Guard and got permission to continue. <br /><br />Day 3, Key West<br />Arrived at 7am, we left the ship at about 9:30am and took the Conch Train tour. Found out more about Key West than I really wanted to know. Did some souvemeer shopping and returned to the ship by noon for a 2pm departure. That evening, the weather started getting rough and the tiny ship was tossed, if the not for the courage of the fearless crew the Minn... oh wait... it was not the bad. <br /><br />Day 4, Cozumel<br />Arrived at 1pm, did the Dolphin Encounter, very nice, be sure to wear your wet socks or something to protect your feet, you&#39;ll be standing on metal grating. Wandered about the park for a bit and went back the docks and did some more shopping, it was hotter that hell, and getting back to the air conditioning was a priority. We departed at 10pm <br /><br />Day 5 Costa Maya<br />Arrived 7am, did the 4x4 Jungle jeep adventure, which terminated at a very nice beach haceinda, we had a bar-b-que lunch at the beach and returned to the boat docks. About an hour worth of driving each way, the jeeps were stick shift and in good working order, being from Michigan and doing some serious 4 wheeling before, the route was tame. <br /><br />Day 6 at sea<br />spent some time at the casino (lost) and by the pool (got toasted) <br /><br />day 7 Ft. Lauderdale<br />Arrived 7am, disembarkation was well organized and quick, we were on the bus (suppied by Royal Caribbean) by 9:30pm. Flight back was uneventful (Northwest Flight 243), baggage at Detroit Metro could have been better. <br /><br />The Ship seemed huge to me (First cruise, remember), it was clean and well maintained. The food was fantastic, both the Carmen Dining room and the Windjammer Lounge were both memerable. Cyril, out waiter, was fantastic, almost reading our minds. Marvin, our room steward, was most attentive and made our cruise very pleasureable. Our room (9158) was a Junoir Suite, it was clean and bug free. THe shower drain clogged Wednesday night, one call to maintenience got it fixed pronto. The balcony was great for room service breakfast. <br /><br />All in all, it was a most pleasent vacation. We will cruise again (minus the group). We packed too many clothes and not enough money (damn casino). TV did not have an option to review your Seapass account. <br /><br />One big downside, The satalight link was very sporatic during the NBA finals (Pistons lost, so not that big a deal).',1171229109,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',1897,'spence',1,51,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(107,164,'9/26/05','Our September 2005 sailing on Royal Caribbean?s Empress of the Seas marks our 14th cruise but first on Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCL).','Previous cruises were on Carnival and Princess Cruise Lines. This voyage was a celebration of our 24th wedding anniversary and the passengers were myself, Chris (50) and my wife Lisa (47). I?ve always believed that there is no such thing as a bad cruise and this one proved once again to be a fabulous voyage. It?s tempting to compare cruise lines and when appropriate, I will. But the main focus of this review is the stand-alone singularity of this ship and it?s crew as well as Royal Caribbean viewed through the eyes of a Princess and Carnival lover.  <br /><br /><br />The Empress is the smallest ship in the RCL fleet weighing in at 49,000 Gross Registered Tons. In fact, she?s less than half the size of the ship we sailed last, Princess? Caribbean Princess. Launched in 1990 as the Nordic Empress, she went through a full refurbishment when joining the RCL fleet. Public spaces as well as staterooms were brought up to RCL speed including the addition of their signature rock-climbing wall.   <br /><br />Small ship purists will find that the rock-climbing wall is about the only visual ?big ship? amenity added, and even that is somewhat hidden way back at the aft of the ship, facing the ocean. There?s no slide, movie screen, ice-skating rink, rocket launch capability or NASCAR track. Left in tact and utilized to a level that, in many cases, far exceeds what we?ve become accustomed to on other ships are all the original small ship elements.  <br /><br />There?s just one dining room, one pool, fewer elevators, and a basically more compact ship in general. RCL has done a great job and put a lot of thought into how they?ve wanted to present this product. There?s room to add another pool, more deck chairs or a larger spa. A movie screen could be added along with other stuff to otherwise make the Empress more like the popular new build ships of today and tomorrow coming off the assembly line.  <br /><br />This ship is different. The Empress is small in comparison to other ships but she?s not the SS Minnow by a long shot and her age does not make me want to recall strategic parts of the movie Titanic for later use  <br /><br />All in all, the total cruise experience we enjoyed on this ship was on a par with any other sailing on any other cruise line. But in some areas RCL has taken advantage of the design of the ship and blown away many of our previous experiences. The single dining room, for one element, stands out as a great example.  <br /><br />Built to accommodate all passengers in two sittings, the Carmen Dining Room has allowed dining room direction to be nearly flawless. With all efforts concentrated so narrowly rather than split between multiple dining rooms, the precision with which dining experiences play out is as close to perfection as I?ve seen to date at sea. In fact, service and food quality on this ship far exceeds many really good land based operations I?ve experienced.  <br /><br />Our Head Waiter, Rajeen Kumar from India, is a perfect example of this. My experience in the past has been that the only time I?d see the Maitre d? or Head Waiter was often only on the last night in the cruise. There he?d be ready to accept my tip. I?d come to accept as the norm the notion that I we didn?t see these guys because they were working behind the scenes, taking care of business.  <br /><br />I now realize that these guys were probably behind the scenes putting out fires, addressing problem areas, a sure sign of a less than professional organization.   <br /><br />On this ship, Rajeen, was highly visible in the dining room playing an active role in the operation. He was right on top of things, working through his waiters for the most part, as it should be, but not hesitating for a second to jump in and help or address something he didn?t think was quite right.  <br /><br />The closest I?d come to this before was on the Carnival Victory with Maitre d? Francesco Tognini who we?d come to know from sailing that ship several times. But even he was not as involved with the operations as Rajeen was.   <br /><br />I?ve always thought that you really know who?s got what it takes in the way of customer service when something goes wrong. Some companies realize that a problem is not just something to be fixed but an opportunity to win a customer for life. So many operators screw it up and just fix the problem.  <br /><br />Here?s an example <br />  As noted earlier, we booked this cruise late. As a result we?d been given the late sitting on dinner at 8:30. I knew that there was no way we?d make that sitting being early diners. On embarkation day I went to the dining room to see if I could switch to early dining. No problem, done.   <br /><br />We?d been given table #7 on the upper level. It might have been a little close to the kitchen for some but I still like seeing what?s going on with the dining room staff and the rest of the dining room so it was good for me. In addition it was right by a window which is always a good place to be at early dinner when the sun is still out.   <br /><br />The first night dinnertime comes and we go to the dining room. Although the table is set for 6, we?re the only ones that showed up. Not unusual for the first night but when the second night rolled around Rajeen had found out that we were celebrating our anniversary and was all over us for the rest of the cruise. He asked if our table was all right and would surely have moved us if we?d wanted to go someplace else. I think he kind of felt bad that the table was so close to the kitchen.   <br /><br />Looking around, though, I saw that other Head Waiters were on the floor doing the same things Rajeen was doing. They were really, honestly, out to make each meal a great dining experience.  <br /><br />And ?experience? is a key word here.  <br /><br />The dining room staff goes way beyond simply feeding passengers. As in most all other areas of operation, Royal Caribbean pays close attention to detail creating a fabulous cruise experience.  <br /><br />RCL calls it Gold Anchor Service and it?s obvious that everyone in the organization is on the same page in delivering it. They really should make a bigger deal out of it like Princess does with their similar C.R.U.I.S.E. program. I suspect that Gold Anchor Service is responsible in no small way for what is happening on board and they should do more than simply mentioning it in passing.  <br /><br />It is as though someone has lit a fire, a burning desire in these people to do whatever it takes to make things right.  <br /><br />Like the phantom Head Waiter or Maitre d? on other sailings, we?d also come to accept as the norm that bar service in the dining room is limited. On some ships we?d seen that all beverages other than the ones that came with the meal or bottles of wine were handled through the bar. That news was equally bad to our kids who wanted a Coke as it was to me who might have wanted a mixed drink or beer.  <br /><br />Surprisingly (again), bar service was excellent on this ship and expertly integrated into the service choreography as one of the first steps of service, as it should be. Out bar server, Leroy Crawford, was right there every night to see what we wanted. After the second night he already knew. I don?t know how many tables he was handling, but I know he went so deep into the dining room with his orders that I lost sight of him. This guy really hustled and made it fun at the same time, a complete opposite of the lousy bar service we?d received in the past. He became a friend really fast, much like a neighborhood bartender.   <br /><br />Speaking of bartenders&#33;  <br /><br />If you sail this ship, you must go by the pool bar and say hi to ?Gabby? from the Philippines. Somehow Royal Caribbean has managed to give their bartenders time to talk to guests. In a day when it seems everyone is cutting corners and cutting back on such important customer service elements, they?ve hit a home run with this one. Granted, there are times when this bar is really busy and the business at hand is getting everyone served. But somehow they?ve figured that out too and additional bartenders seem to appear out of nowhere. <br /><br />What is really impressive though is the time they?ll take with guests when they?re not busy.   <br /><br />During one of those times I asked about Royal Caribbean?s drinking age policy. Specifically, I wanted to know if allowing those between 18 and 21 to drink beer and wine was ever a problem. I see a lot of underage drinking and its effects on other ships where the drinking age is 21.   <br /><br />On some I?ve seen problems, others not.   <br /><br />The general consensus I got was that it really was not a problem unless someone had a fake ID and wanted to drink the restricted alcoholic beverages. But they were quick to point out how often it is easy to tell those who really are not of age once they?ve started drinking and they?re quick to cut them off.   <br /><br />I wondered if allowing the 18 to 21?s to drink beer and wine resulted in less smuggling onboard and perhaps less drunkenness because it was ok to do it and they didn?t have to sneak around. Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned here for other cruise lines.  <br /><br />What really impressed me though is that they?re honestly interested in talking to us. I fear that when I get back on land I may slap the first person who robotically says ?thank-you-have-a-nice-day? to me because they were obviously told they had to, not because they care at all.   <br /><br />That brings me to one of the most impressive thoughts I?ve had while on this ship and I can only hope that it is indicative of Royal Caribbean in general.  <br /><br />Most operations would like to have you come back and sail with them again, the crew of this ship demands it.   <br /><br />That demand to return, though, starts with the booking process.   <br /><br />Royal Caribbean has done something to demand that travel agents focus on customer service rather than doing whatever it takes to win a client by giving them the lowest possible price.  <br /><br />For the most part, RCL has told agents that they may not discount prices. In most cases, the price paid to some huge Internet agency will be the same that you pay to your local travel agent.   <br /><br />Often, the first response to this from seasoned travelers is that it amounts to price fixing and that it?s the traveler that pays the price.  <br /><br />Well certainly it is the traveler that writes the check but from talking to other guests on this sailing, Royal Caribbean?s prices stack up very nicely compared to Princess and Carnival. In fact, many bragged about the special price they got on their cruise. What this has done though is not only make customer service the deciding factor for consumers but make travel agents want to book clients on Royal Caribbean. On RCL, agents can make a decent commission as compared to lines that allow discounting. On those lines agents often make a very small amount on each cruise they sell, forcing them to sell a bunch more of them just to stay in business. This result, for the most part, in less time for customer service.  <br /><br />When this topic comes up I often hear ?Oh well that?s fine for a first time cruiser who need to have their hand held through the process and has lots of questions. I?ve been on several cruises and I just want the lowest price?  <br /><br />That argument makes perfect sense if you were buying a sock.  <br /><br />You?re not.  <br /><br />You?re buying a dream, each and every time.  <br /><br />The key word to concentrate on here is ?value?. A cruise vacation is one of the best travel values you?ll find. In addition, each one provides a memory that will last a lifetime.   <br /><br />Long after that sock has worn out, you?ll remember your cruise, especially when cruising with people like you?ll find on Empress of the Seas who demand your return, if not to this ship then to another in the fleet.  <br /><br />After the successful booking procedures are accomplished though comes the day of the cruise and embarkation  <br /><br />Embarkation is an area that I thought Princess owned the ratings on. Usually, from the time we would enter the terminal until we were on board was simply a matter of minutes with Princess? well-organized procedures. Carnival?s embarkation process, to me, is a work in progress with the introduction of their ?Fun Pass?. I?ve got high hopes that Carnival will nail embarkation soon as they have so many other elements of the cruise experience. It wouldn?t surprise me if Carnival figured out how to beam us aboard ala Star Trek technology before it?s all over. RCL comes close to Princess in general and, for my money, wins hands down.   <br /><br />Arriving at Port Everglades about 9:30 in the morning, we knew we?d have a long wait. But then we always do. We like to come to the port early and be one of the first on the ship. If I get there and security guards are not at least raising an eyebrow as to why I am there then I am late.   <br /><br />After dropping off most of our luggage to waiting porters (even at this early hour) we parked across the street and walked back to the terminal with our carryon luggage. I noticed that all but a few of the passengers from the last sailing had already completed disembarkation.  <br /><br />We had booked this cruise late, too late to have cruise documents mailed to us. I had, however, been able to go online at Royal Caribbean?s website to complete the required information which allowed me to print a ?Set Sail? pass to use for embarkation, much like Carnival?s ?Fun Pass? system.   <br /><br />Side note: Bad news for people who like to do the ?doc dance? on the day cruise documents come in the mail. Finally you have something you can hold in your hand that represents your dream cruise; something tangible. It only makes sense for the cruise lines to do away with this expensive part of it all and get up to speed doing it like the airlines have for years. Soon, your travel agent will be able to print your luggage tags too. I was thinking that instead of sending documents the cruise lines might send a little nice board game to occupy our time while waiting for our cruise. Somehow it?s hard to imagine getting excited about the ?Scrabble dance? though.  <br /><br />We waited in the outer lobby of the terminal with a few other early birds until it was announced at 10:30 that the ship had been cleared and we could go on into the comfortable waiting area. At 10:45 boarding commenced, the earliest ever for us. I wondered if that was because of the smaller ship size and fewer passengers. After a stop to show our ID and credit card we were on board touring the ship by 11:00. For people who like to get on board early it doesn?t get any better than this.   <br /><br />I was pleasantly surprised. I?d need to get used to that; this was just the first of many pleasant surprises in store on this voyage.  <br /><br />We?d be sailing from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale to Key West, Cozumel, and Costa Maya with a full day at sea after that before returning to Port Everglades. These were all ports we?d been to multiple times. In fact, we did a similar itinerary on Carnival?s Fascination out of Miami several years ago. As the ship was the different element of this vacation I was curious as to how it would stack up in comparison to other vacations.  <br /><br />It didn?t take long to see that this sailing would stack up very nicely right from the beginning.  <br /><br />We have a habit of starting our cruise vacations by touring the ship first upon boarding. The extra time afforded by early embarkation along with the smaller size of the ship gave plenty of time to see it all. Cabins would not be available until 1PM they said and they meant it. Fire doors were closed to the cabin areas so instead of dropping our carry on luggage in the cabin before touring we rolled it around with us like every one else.   <br /><br />For the next two hours we walked all the public areas of the ship then stopped by the Windjammer Caf? where Embarkation Lunch was being served.   <br /><br />I?ve seen this done a number of ways on different cruise lines and over the course of a previous 20-year career I had in the restaurant business. On the Empress the self-service set up is dual line buffet that that comes together at the end, much like a horseshoe shape. At the end, the flow takes diners with their over sized tray-like plates to one more food display station and then to drink stations on the way to the seating areas.  <br /><br />The view from the tiered seating areas is nothing short of spectacular as from any table there is an unobstructed view of the sea. With attention aimed out, away from the buffet lines combined with very attentive service on the floor, it?s easy to forget you?re in a buffet area. Another big plus, more than I?ve seen on any other line, is the highly visible and interactive management. It seems there is always at least one officer in the room, taking care of business in a venue one could reasonably assume runs itself.   <br /><br />The reassuring presence of management is felt all over the ship too. After a complete check of the cabins, an officer released them for occupancy, right on time as promised at 1:00.   <br /><br />Entering our outside cabin, 4636, we were again pleasantly surprised with the size, organization and setup. I?d found through research that the cabins on this ship were smaller than those on other ships we?d sailed. In fact, if I wanted to believe the Negative Nellies on some of the Internet cruise message boards (I never do) I?d have brought along a shoehorn just to get in the door. I was concerned about that and the fact that this is the first cabin we?ve had without a balcony.   <br /><br />In the end I think that if I were to book an outside cabin again I might just save the money and book an inside. There?s an argument for booking an outside that says its nice to be able to see what the weather is like outside. I could do that by turning on the tv and watching the live bridgecam. I rarely looked out the window but I have friends who just love outside cabins who will be reading this so I?ll just leave it at that.   <br /><br />I will say that our cruise experience was decidedly different without the balcony. When sailing with our balcony cabin I?d spend a lot of time out there simply enjoying the view. I did miss that and hope to try a Royal Caribbean sailing with a balcony soon for a more direct comparison to our past cruise history on which every sailing had a balcony.  <br /><br />But getting out of the cabin more was good too.   <br /><br />Deck 6 on the Empress was a good substitute for balcony time. It wraps around the ship and is great for walking (4 times around is a mile) and is close to just about everything.   <br /><br />The outside cabin was indeed smaller but very well organized with plenty of shelving, drawers and closet space all we?d brought along. No shoehorn needed.  <br /><br />The bathroom, however, is in the category of ?ultra small?.   <br /><br />Imagine showering in a phone booth   <br /><br />This is smaller than that.  <br /><br />I found it to be workable though and adjusted although the notion did cross my mind ?Maybe I could just skip showering all week?. If you have a small coat or broom closet at home you might want to practice (figure out) picking up a bar of soap off the floor before boarding. Not to go on and on but this shower gave me a whole new respect for soap-on-a-rope.   <br /><br />The best part of the cabin experience, though, was our cabin steward. Often this is luck of the draw but on this ship it just felt like attention to detail and better than expected service is the norm. As the voyage continued that proved to be correct.   <br /><br />I wonder if the service, often giving Carnival or Princess a run for their money if not leaving them in the dust, was affected by the way they do the tipping.   <br /><br />Let me explain.  <br /><br />Other lines we?ve sailed automatically added gratuities every day to our shipboard account. Gone are the days when those lines would suggest an amount to tip and provide envelopes for each person they suggested, basically to give us the idea that:   <br /><br />a. We were expected to tip  <br />b. Here?s how much  <br />c. Here?s who gets it <br /><br /><br />I never really minded the automatic tipping as I would have given them that anyway. I even like Carnival?s idea of prepaying the tips before boarding. I?ve come to accept gratuities as part of the deal much like some might think of travel insurance (Not me- I?ll make it to the cruise if I have to crawl, dragging my bloody corpse behind me)  <br /><br />On the Empress they did not automatically add the tips. Instead, we were given the option to do that if we wanted to by filling out a form and returning it to the Guest Service desk. They still had a suggested amount to tip but the whole program was presented very nicely, more as a convenience to those who wished to participate.  <br /><br />I wondered if the service on this ship was better since the crew really didn?t know until the last day how the tipping would go.   <br /><br />I like this and prefer it. I like handing the gratuity to the people that provide the service. That, to me, is the way it should be. This system comes closer than the other guys. I only hope this is not an easy out for cheapskates that don?t want to tip at all. Those people make me sick. I hope they dropped the soap in their tiny shower lots of times.  <br /><br />Planning our time on board was easy with the Empress? onboard daily Compass that outlined all the activities of the day. New to us on this line was an easily detachable daily schedule that fit in our pockets. On the front page of today?s Compass we?re advised to ?get ready for the best vacation of our lives?.   <br /><br />Ok sure, I?d heard that one before and I even agree with it; there?s nothing like a cruise vacation and each one we?ve been on has been the best vacation ever. But I thought it was kind of assumptive to tell me that was how it would be right up front.  <br /><br />I thought, ?Sounds good to me, we?ll see?  <br /><br />I didn?t have to wait long to get the ball rolling on that thought. One of my favorite events on any cruise is the sail away. On deck at the time, the entertainment staff really got off on the right foot as the Royal Caribbean Dancers exploded on to the deck. These peppy people got the show started and what a brilliant idea to introduce them to the passengers when they?re featured on Day 2?s night entertainment ?Jump Jivin? Swing?. Passengers of all ages were drawn to the area in what was absolutely, hands down, the best sail away I?ve yet seen. The really cool part though was that this was a very laid back cruise in comparison to some others we?d been on.   <br /><br />I?ve always suggest leaving land-based responsibilities and cares on the shore and to be on deck to watch them fade away as the ship gets farther and farther from the shore.   <br /><br />On this sailing Royal Caribbean saw those responsibilities standing on the shore and made them disappear in the poof of their perfectly timed and executed sail away party.  <br /><br />As the week progressed I found more of the same precision in other areas of operation as well.   <br /><br />Housekeeping, like on other lines, was being performed around the clock. On this ship though there was an obviously elevated diligence to it. These people really go into their work and took a lot of pride in it. The atrium of this ship, called the ?Centrum? has a lot of brass and chrome requiring constant polishing. It seemed as thought there was someone working on it all the time and their efforts showed producing brilliantly shining surfaces.  <br /><br />Also shining, in a subtle way, is the ship?s Cruise Director and staff. The first element that hit me as being really great was that there were virtually NO annoying announcements over the ship?s loudspeaker system. There were a few but they were important ones, not some sales pitch for an inch of gold chain being sold in the lobby (and they DID sell it there).   <br /><br />Princess lost a good one when Graham Seymour left to come to Royal Caribbean. I can?t wait to see what he can do in an environment that is as pro-guest as RCL seems to be to me so far.  <br /><br />Here, for the first time, I could feel an integrated direction in the entertainment programs.   <br /><br />On other lines I never saw the Cruise Director, wondered what they did and was glad they didn?t have their hand out on the last day like that phantom Maitre d?. On this sailing I didn?t see the Cruise Director either but could feel his presence. From the sail away party I already mentioned to having the fully costumed Royal Caribbean dancers as part of the show in the dining room on Latin night, it all worked together and produced a great experience.  <br /><br />By the end of the cruise it was pleasantly obvious that the good stuff I?d seen on this ship was not a fluke but just the way they do things here. I?ll be curious to see how they do it on other ships in the fleet.  <br /><br />If this sailing was a good example of what they do on other ships, I might have a new favorite cruise line. If, as the guests we sat with at embarkation said, this was a lousy example of Royal Caribbean then I DO have a new favorite&#33;  <br /><br />Will I sail Carnival and Princess again?   <br /><br />You bet&#33;  <br /><br />We?re on the Ecstasy next month and have booked the Tahitian Princess for our Silver Wedding Anniversary next year&#33;',1171229202,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',148,'LifeIsCruising',1,51,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(108,155,'9/25/03','All in all a great cruise aboard the Enchantment of the Seas. I would not hesitate to sail her again in the future but next time bring my own coffee pot.','Enchantment of the Seas 9/25/03 <br /><br />We drove to the port and arrived at 12:30. Parking in the garage at Ft. Lauderdale was a breeze as we were the only ship leaving from the port that day. Check in was very quick and we were having lunch in the Windjammer before 1:00. Enchantment of the Seas 9/25/03 <br /><br />The Enchantment is a Vision class ship that was built in 1997. She was in wonderful shape with very little sign of wear and tear. The itinerary on this 4 day cruise was Key West and Cozumel. We did no shore excursions having been to each port before and only went to one show that was excellent. More about that later. Enchantment of the Seas 9/25/03 <br /><br />The ship itself is beautiful. The centrum was lovely with it&#39;s marble floors and Champagne Bar. This is where the art auctions and cooking demos were held. The casino is laid out well and we spent most of our evenings there as both my husband and I like to gamble. The staff was friendly and we had a lot of fun with them. The Dining room was lovely with a few statues and a grand staircase. The pool deck was in excellent shape and the solarium was one of our main hangouts. We enjoyed just laying out and I loved the hot tubs. No kids were ever in the solarium pool or hot tubs when I was there. There were only about 110 kids on board for this sailing. Enchantment of the Seas 9/25/03 <br /><br />The food was the typical RCI fare. Good to excellent. Please listen to your waiter when he makes suggestions each evening as they are very honest with you and usually know which items are the best. The coffee on this ship was the worst I have ever had. Nothing helped remove the bitterness. Bring a french press or a coffee pot if you don&#39;t want to pay for the coffee at the Seattles Best kiosk in the centrum which is about &#036;3.00 a cup and higher depending on how fancy you like your coffee. Enchantment of the Seas 9/25/03 <br /><br /><br />The crew was wonderful. From the cabin attendent to the purser&#39;s desk everyone was helpful and very friendly. Enchantment of the Seas 9/25/03 <br />The one show I did attend was the Beatle Maniacs. If you are a Beatles fan and love to sing their music then this show is a don&#39;t miss for sure. We sang, danced and even screamed like it was the 1960&#39;s all over again. The 4 musicians weren&#39;t trying to copy the Beatles but salute them and they did a wonderful job, from early to late Beatles. It was the finest show I have seen in years and a don&#39;t miss it if your lucky enough to be aboard with them. We also attended the Love and Marriage game that was quite funny. I do with RCI would go back to picking the couples out of a hat as the OOOeeee baby routine just has gotten old. The ship also had production shows, belly flop competion, Quest, Disco night, Horse racing, etc. Enchantment of the Seas 9/25/03 <br /><br />I attended the Crown and Anchor Diamond and Platinum party held on the Key West Day as we were sailing out. We enjoyed meeting many of the staff and other Crown and Anchor members. This was the only recognition that the C &amp; A members got. Usually there is a party for all the Crown and Anchor members but there was none this trip. We also received the fanny packs and the postcards in our cabin as well as our coupon books. I was surprised that we received no chocolate covered strawberries in our room as we have on all our previous trips since becoming Diamond members. Guess they are cutting back. Not a big deal as my head waiter brought me some at dinner the last evening. Enchantment of the Seas 9/25/03 <br /><br />All in all a great cruise aboard the Enchantment of the Seas. I would not hesitate to sail her again in the future but next time bring my own coffee pot.',1171229265,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',334,'sailingrose',1,44,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(109,155,'10/2/05','This was my 13th cruise and 2nd on Royal Caribbean.','To give you a little background, besides my 2 RCCL cruises, I have been on 6 Princess, 2 Carnival, 2 Celebrity and one Premier cruise. With the exception of my very first cruise (Carnival Fantasy) I have enjoyed all my cruises - some better than others - but I have always had a good time.  <br /><br /><br />The itinerary for this cruise was a bit differnt than most Canada/New England cruises. It was a repositioning cruise from Quebec City, Canada to Fort Lauderdale. Stops included scenic cruising on the Saguenay River; Corner Brook, Newfoundland; and Boston. An interesting fact to note here is that about 2/3rds of the passengers on board were French-speaking Canadians. They were thrilled with having a cruise that departed from Quebec&#33;  <br /><br />Pre-cruise: Flew from Milwaukee to Quebec via Toronto on Air Canada. No complaints whatsoever, except that Pearson International is a mess right now with all the construction&#33; But I made my connection with 35 minutes to spare so they must know what they are doing.  <br /><br />Arrived in Quebec at the smallest Internation Airport I have ever seen (7 gates total at Jean Lesage International) but it was a very pretty and efficient small airport. No problems finding anything&#33; Took a taxi to my hotel - the Loews Le Concorde on Grande Allee just outside of Old Town Quebec. Check in was efficient and there were a lot of cruisers staying there. I booked through Priceline and got the hotel for &#036;75 for the night - those booking through the cruise lines payed much more than I did. The hotel is nice, clean and pretty much your standard 3 - 4 star hotel. I had a room on the 5th floor overlooking the old city and I could see the port of Quebec. After settling in, I strolled around the area - including the Plains of Abraham (a large park area) and down Grande Alle a bit. Lots of restaurants there. While I had supper at the hotel, the next morning I went next door to Cosmos (upon the recommendation of someone on the CC board) and had a FABULOUS breakfast&#33; Checking out of the hotel was a piece of cake, and I took a taxi down to the docks. I was in my room about sunset when I heard a loud ship&#39;s horn......looked out my window and say the QM2 pulling away&#33; I tried to get some pics of her, but the flash kept interfering. She was a sight to behold as she pulled away from Quebec.  <br /><br />Embarkation: I went online at www.rccl.com and filled in the Set Sail pass and printed it out. I had to go back and print a new one less than a week before I left because I decided to splurge and upgrade myself from my inside stateroom on deck 2 to a balcony cabin on deck 7 (more on that later.) Supposedly, if you print the Set Sail pass, you go through embarkation much more quickly than if you did not. Well, I think that works well at ports where RCCL sails out of at least weekly. Here, since it was the first time RCCL embarked anyone in Quebec, the agents were extra careful and thus slower, plus there were some computer problems that held things up too. All in all, it took about an hour for me to get on the ship from the time I dropped off the luggage til the time I could go to my cabin. Spent the time before I could get to my cabin wandering around the ship and stopped at the Pool Bar to have my first drink of the cruise................a Bahama Mama (OK - it was very warm - near 80 - and I wanted something refreshing&#33;) Made friends with the bartender and talked with a gentleman from Quebec who was wanting to try an American Beer. I told him to try an MGD (Miller Genuine Draft) and he loved it&#33; Ran into him later in the cruise and he told me he was ordering &quot;MGD&#39;s&quot; all week&#33; Love it&#33;  <br /><br />Finally just before 1:00 they announced that the staterooms were ready - went down and found my cabin. Upgraded myself to a D1 balcony - that turned out to be in the new section of the ship - very clean, everything was pristine&#33; Mattress was firm but with what felt like a pillow top on it. Pillows were bigger than what I am used to on Princess and firmer. Bathroom was small, but shiny. Shower had the sliding doors on them instead of the shower curtain. Lots of storage in the cabin - I didn&#39;t even use half of it&#33; TV was small, and reception was not that great on this cruise (satellite kept going out or range, or whatever....). Minifridge was stocked but not stuffed. Did not have to remove anything to put my stuff in it. Met up with Armando who took care of me for the week. He did everything I asked. No complaints there.  <br /><br />We had the muster drill at 4:45pm - outside on the promenade deck. Totally useless as everyone talked through the whole thing and no one could hear any of the instructions. Also had to wait for the stragglers. And they did call out room numbers&#33; Those that did not show I hear had to go to a make up session the next day and the crew were NOT happy about it, from what I heard&#33; Even though I have been on 13 cruises now, I wish people would just be quiet and listen to the instructions - yes, I could probably recite them in my sleep, but every ship is a bit different and you need to know where to go and what to do.  <br /><br />At 5:30 I met up with some of the people I had corresponded with on CC on the roll call thread. Finally go t to put faces to Sue and Ray, Cat and Dave, David and Janet, Milt and Arlene, PCO and his lovely wife. Had to leave early as I had my pedicure scheduled for 6:00pm. Pulled away from the dock about 6:30pm and watching the sailaway from the newly remodeled spa area was wonderful - my pedicure chair overlooked the aft of the ship and the sunset was pretty spectaular. Got back to my cabin in time to take a couple of pics of it. (If I forgot anyone who was at the sailaway gathering, I apologize&#33;)  <br /><br />Dining Room and Food: Let me first say that food and service are subjective. We all have our different tastes and standards. I want to thank Sue for making sure that we (Cat, Dave, myself and Sue and her husband) were sitting at the same table. We were at talbe 135 on the second level of the My Fair Lady dining room. Our waiter was Nilesh from India and his assistant was Yocanda from Costa Rica. When Yocanda came to our table the first time, she immediately recognized Sue and Ray from the year before&#33; Also, Ajay, one of the assistant maitre&#39;d&#39;s came to our table a few times during the cruise as Sue and Ray knew him as well. Our service this cruise was excellent&#33;&#33;&#33; Nilesh and Yocanda - along with the head waiter (I can&#39;t remember her name, but she was at our table almost every night helping out when she could - she was just recently promoted to head waiter and was doing well, imho.) Our bar server was Suzanna - who also remembered Sue and Ray from the cruise last year.   <br /><br />Food ranged from very good to excellent. I found it on par with Princess and Celebrity - and just a notch ahead of Carnival. If I ordered something rare or medium rare, it came that way. Seasoning was perfect for my taste. My only complaint was that the first two nights there were no chocolate desserts on the menu. First night we went with the flow, the second night, Sue and I both looked at Nilesh with tears in our eyes and said &quot;Chocolate, PLEASE&#33;&#33;&#33;&quot; He came back with mini lava cakes, brownies and a little cheesecake for us.....I don&#39;t know where he got them, but from that point on, he was our hero&#33; I do have to say the Maryland Crab Cake appetizer was EXCELLENT&#33; And the chocolate desserts were too. Ate at Chops one night and that was just downright excellent too. The service there was attentive but not intrusive. The food was cooked to order and though it was a slow paced meal, it was just what was ordered that night.  <br /><br />Ports/Scenic Cruising: We cruised up the St. Lawrence til we reached the Saguenay River on Monday AM. We cruise about 2 hours up the river viewing the cliffs and fall foilage (my guess is the colors were about 25% of peak). We passed the Maasdam coming out as we went in. Got to the area where the Statue of the Virgin Mary is located. The story goes that a man who was a survivor of a shipwreck in that area raised the monument as a thank you for saving his life. As we approached the monument, the Captain turned off the engines and we glided past the statue while Ave Maria played from the loudspeakers. Truly a spine tingling moment. We then cruised back down the river and as we were leaving the Saguenay River, we passed the World of Residensea as she entered the Saguenay. We then headed up the St. Lawrence and were in and out of fog the rest of the day.  <br /><br />Corner Brook, New Foundland: Arrived early at the port - which was 1 1/2 hours ahead of ships time&#33; Sue had arranged a private tour with Vision Atlantic for us in a mini van with driver/guide to Gros Morne National Park. Scott was our driver/guide and he was wonderful. We set out for the 1 1/2 hour ride to Rocky Harbor inside Gros Morne National Park, where we picked up our box lunches and headed up to Lobster Cove Head lighthouse where we had a picnic lunch. Now is probably a good time to mention the weather..........in Quebec it was near 80 and sunny. In western Newfoundland, it was sunny to partly cloudy and in the 70&#39;s - a one in a million day for October in Newfoundland&#33; But it was windy.........the flags at Lobster Cove Head Lighthouse spelled out GALE. And when we left the port that night, we did feel the full brunt of the gale force winds. After lunch we traveled about the park - stopping at little villages and fishing towns, had coffee and pie at a small restaurant and then went to the Tablelands part of the park - that is where the earth&#39;s mantle pushed up through the crust . It is a geologists dream area. Very stark and barren with little vegetation, but very close to the sea and lushness of that area. We then headed back to Corner Brook and were on board the ship with plenty of time to spare. Thanks, Scott, for a wonderful day&#33;  <br /><br />Next day was a day at sea and after a pretty bumpy ride the night before we were in and out of fog all day and night long.  <br /><br />Next and final stop before debarkation was Boston. Once again we were blessed with sunny and warm weather......upper 70&#39;s and nary a cloud in the sky. This time I took a ship&#39;s excursion that included a scenic harbor cruise and a bus tour of historic Boston. Well, with 4 ships in port, traffic was HORRIBLE&#33; We were so behind on our excursion, that we could not stop at Faneuil Hall or Quincy Market to do any shopping - had to go straight back to the ship. Should mention that we were in port with the Golden Princess, Crystal Serenit and the QM2. We were the last to dock and we slipped in between the Golden and the QM2. Got some great shots of those ships leaving port that evening before we did.  <br /><br />Next two days were sea days and the weather was lousy. Except for an hour or two on both days it was cloudy and VERY windy. We ended up going through the remnants of TS Tammy......and we all know how rough the seas can be off Cape Hatteras. I was told by an officer we had 12- 20 foot seas and force 7 winds at times. This lasted almost two full days - finally calming down later afternoon on Saturday - of course that was packing day as the cruise ended on Sunday.  <br /><br />Debarkation: After 2 cruises on RCCL, I still don&#39;t get why they don&#39;t announce the debarkation colors IN THE DINING ROOM&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33; I know that since we went through Immigration upon arrival in Boston, we would not have to go through it in FLL..........but when you go to the dining room or stay in your cabin, you went to breakfast and got out about 8:30 - when I got out of the dining room there was a long line waiting to get off the ship. I asked people if &quot;red&quot; had been called yet and nobody knew. So, I waited and waited.....finally decided to ask someone else. This nice gentleman spoke some english and and I spoke very little french, but we were able to determine that &quot;red&quot; had been called, so I just got up and got in line and walked off the ship. There were only about 10 suitcases left in the red area - grabbed mine and a porter and then went through customs and got a taxi.........I was at the airport 10 minutes later and 10 minutes after that I was at the gate for a 90 minute wait for my flight. Not bad at all, but I wish RCCL would make the debarkation announcements in ALL areas of the ship&#33;   <br /><br />Miscellaneous: I really enjoyed this cruise - the Enchantment is a wonderful ship and the stretching and refurbishment really make her look sparkling new. I enjoyed it enough that I booked another RCCL cruise for the Grandeur for Bermuda from Baltimore in the fall of 2006 - knowing full well that I am going to change that to a 2007 cruise.  <br /><br />I just wanted to mention that wherever I went on the ship, everyone, from Captain Per on down had a smile and a can-do attitude&#33; They made everyone feel welcome. This was in marked contrast to my last cruise on the Diamond Princess where no one seemed happy and simple requests were met with outright &quot;No&#39;s&quot;. I do think that the fact it was the last Mexican Riveria cruise of the season and crew burnout was a factor, but it really impacted that cruise and I felt a little underwhelmed and unsatisfied. This cruise on the Enchantment cured me of that feeling&#33;',1171229317,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',333,'sailinglisa',1,92,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(110,147,'4/10/05','Over all, a very good cruise, and would recommend it to all.  We would do RCCL again in the drop of a hat.','We got to Miami the evening before we cruised, and found that the weather there was about the same as in Philly when we left. WE had a nice evening at Bayside, and went to sleep pretty early.  <br /><br /><br />We arrived at the pier about 11AM and there was already a small line there. After about a 5 minute wait, the line moved and we were on the ship about 11:45. This was our first time on a Voyager Class ship, and when you finally get on-board, the Promanade is quite impressive. After dropping off our carry-ons, we went up top to survey the area. The EOS is a BIG ship. As far as we were concerned, she is quite beautiful and is holding up very well.   <br /><br />Food: <br />We had all of our breakfasts and lunches in the Windjammer, and for the most part, the food was very good. The only problem we found that on a couple of occasions the food at breakfast could have been warmer. Other than that, the food was quite tasty, and there was enough variety for us. The first morning of the cruise, we had trouble finding a table, but never had that problem the rest of the cruise. Dinner was in the Columbus Dining Room and was excellent every night. We were quite fortunate to be sitting with 3 other couples that were all great. This was without doubt, the best dinner companions we ever had on a cruise. Our waiter, assistant waiter, and Asst. Head Waiter were all excellent. We could not find one thing to complain about.  <br /><br />Passengers: <br />There were lots of them. All were well behaved as far as I can tell. There were quite a few children on the cruise for being in April, but there was never a problem with unruliness. There were lines for many things, and everybody was quite well behaved in line (if you ask my wife, she&#39;ll probably tell you that everyone was well-behaved except for me). As is the usual, there were lots of chair hogs.  <br /><br />Itinerary: <br />First stop was Belize. We did a Cave Tubing excursion there and had a good time. Being the end of the dry season, the river was a little low, but still had a good time. The country is pretty, but poor. THere doesn&#39;t seem to be too much to do there. You have to be tendered in from quite a ways out at sea. Luckily, the waters were nice and calm.  <br /><br />Next stop was Costa Maya. This is actually a port built for cruise ships, and is a work in progress. Not much there at all. We went to a Mayan ruins as our excursion. The tour was good, but it was very hot that day. The tour guide was very knowlegable about the Mayan people and gave us lots of facts.  <br /><br />Cozumel was next. We snorkelled there and went to a private beach where we just relaxed in a hammock. The snorkelling was very good there. Lots of colorful fish. The water was pretty rough where we were snorkelling and some people were afraid to get off the boat. Since the tour included an open bar (beer and Margaritas) noone seemed to care much. The alcohol really flowed on the way bak to the ship. Good shopping in Cozumel. This is a place to use your bargaining skills, and we did get some decent deals (at least that&#39;s what we think). The major problem there was that there were 9 ships in port that day, so everything ws quite crowded.  <br /><br />The last port was Grand Cayman. This is another tendered port, but the ship anchors much closer to the dock than in Belize. Unfortunately, the water was very rough and it was quite windy. Our excursion was supposed to be a Stingray City Swim &amp; Snorkel. When we got to the dock, they told us that there was a strong swimmer alert, and you could cancel if you were not a strong swimmer. My wife is not a very strong swimmer, so we did cancel. We opted to tour the island instead. Hurricane Ivan last year really devistated the island. Most things were not opened yet and the trees around the island were mostly blown away. They say it will take 2-3 years to get back to normal. The shopping around the docks were all opened and we spent some time there.  <br /><br />Ship: <br />Beautiful ship. Pretty well maintained. The crew all seem happy to be on board the EOS, and that translates to great service. The Captain was at quite a few of the special events, and had a great sense of humor (I wonder who was driving the ship). The entertainment was just so-so, but the ice show was tremendous. It does make for a unique shipboard experience. As all of the cruise lines do these days, there was lots of nickel and diming. The overhead announcements were not nearly as bad as some of the other cruise lines.  <br /><br />Over all, a very good cruise, and would recommend it to all. After reading bad reviews of RCCL, we were pleasantly surprised that we found non of the problems other people found. We would do RCCL again in the drop of a hat.',1171229369,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',1210,'Rogue',1,53,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(111,147,'6/19/05','All in all we had a wonderful time. The ship was lovely, the crew magnificent and the company great. We will gladly sail RCI again but we will go with much lower expectations of the food.','Background: I have cruised 30 times with several different lines over the years. I have cruised with RCI 22 times and consider them my favorite of all the ones I?ve tried. I?m writing this review from the point of view of a frequent cruiser with RCI.   <br /><br /><br />Pre-cruise: We stayed at the Holiday Inn across from Bayside Market as we did 2 years ago. The hotel was clean and neat and was a great location. We had a port view on an upper floor and it was great to get up in the morning and see our ship. We also watched the Navigator sail out the evening before.  <br /><br />Embarkation: Miami is a crazy port to start with so try to be patient. We arrived at the pier, gave the porter our luggage and my husband parked the car. We went into the terminal and went to the Diamond Crown and Anchor line. We checked in but were unable to board the ship as they hadn?t cleared immigration from the previous cruise. We started boarding at 12:30. Cabins don?t open up until 1:00.  <br /><br />The Ship: Having sailed this ship 3 years ago and knowing that she?d be going into dry dock in a few months I was prepared for the ship to show wear and tear. Truthfully I was impressed by how wonderful the Explorer looked, worn is places but still a beautiful ship.  <br /><br />The Cabin: We had an aft balcony on deck 7. Marvelous is all I can say. Our cabin steward Delroy was the best. He took care of our room with amazing speed and was a real pleasure to get to know over our week aboard. He also gave me some tips on where to eat while in port.  <br /><br />The Crew: The crew aboard this ship was great. It was fun to see some of my old crew friends and to make new crew friends along the way. Special thanks to Edwin and Rudolph in the Schooner Bar for the excellent service, bar games, etc. Thanks also to my old friends Sam in the Sports Bar and Himraj in the Aquarium Bar for remembering me and sharing some wonderful old memories as well as helping me to make new ones.  <br /><br />The Ports: Belize was not one of our favorites but it was nice to at least go somewhere new. We thought it would be different from the Mexican ports we?ve been to but it was very much like them. It was also extremely hot and humid&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;  Costa Maya was a cloudy day so we decided to stay at the cruise facilities at the pier. It was wonderful. We enjoyed limited sun but the day was perfect. We took the advice from our cabin steward and ate at the bar on the far end of the area. It has an upstairs and the view of the ships and the water were magnificent. Ask on the ship for the place with ?the big fish? seems all the crew knows it. We had chips and salsa and chicken tacos as well as some refreshments. The cost was quite reasonable (under &#036;18.00) and the food was excellent. The salsa was out of this world. Same old shopping here of course.  Cozumel was great&#33; We love visiting here and have our favorite stores over the years which of course we visited. We took a cab (&#036;12 each way)to Paradise Beach and enjoyed the wonderful lounge chairs and Sol beer. We had to have lunch here and really enjoyed the nachos as we had a year ago. Our waiter Antoino was great&#33; We decided not to tender in Grand Cayman and enjoyed the ship for the day.  <br /><br />The Food: Late Seating. Please remember I?m writing this as a longtime RCI cruiser and that everyone has different tastes. The cost cutting aboard this ship was very evident. I will say that the Caf? Promenades food was very good. The sandwiches, pastries and cookies were great. The same 3 kinds of cookies were served each day and the sandwiches did not vary very much either. The buffet food was typical RCI, some good some bad, some awful. The dining room was another matter entirely. The choices on the menus have been reduced greatly as well as the variety of the food. Sourdough rolls were served every night and the variety of the bread aboard this ship was poor. The menu stated one evening that the chef recommended Sea Bass but the waiter told us not to order it as it was not fresh. There were many of the usual favorites from previous cruises, warm chocolate cake, cr?me brulee, etc. There were also many missing items that RCI is famous for like Flourless Chocolate cake. The chef also changed the Strawberry soup a longtime favorite of our families and it was not creamy but bitter. We were very disappointed in our dining room experience. Our waiter Hakan was OK. Our assistant waiter Diszel was absolutely the best we have had in years.   <br /><br />Please understand that we did not starve but we didn?t enjoy the dining room as we had on previous cruises. We expected the usual RCI standards but did not find them on this cruise. Please note that ship, dinner seating, chef, headwaiter, etc. will make each cruise experience different.  <br /><br />Disembarkation was great. We got up at 7. I grabbed some coffee and a roll and got the family up. We could have disembarked with our white tags at 7:30 but we decided to get off the ship just before 8 and head from the cabin to the car.  <br /><br />All in all we had a wonderful time. The ship was lovely, the crew magnificent and the company great. We will gladly sail RCI again but we will go with much lower expectations of the food. We always enjoy our sailings with them and the food won?t deter me from Getting Out There again&#33;',1171229409,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',334,'sailingrose',1,96,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(112,147,'12/18/05','Our 1st Family Cruise, I told bits of everything, sorry it gets long..lol.','We left early Friday as a we had terrible weather for 2 days prior to leaving and were worried they would close the HWY, so we left around 10:30 am on Friday to the City which is a normal 3 ? 3-1/2 hour drive.. took us over 4 ? hours due to the bad roads. we were very glad we left early.  <br /><br />We had a 4 am wake up call and we were at the airport for 4:45am for our 6:00am flights so we were could get to FLL for 1:30pm..so we could enjoy the day.. all was well until we got to Toronto and the USA Customs apparently EVERY Saturday is a nightmare. good to know.. so we missed our flights and our air carrier didn?t really care&#33;&#33; They provided some of people with meals us they didn?t. And got us other flights but we ended up spending 7 hours at the airport waiting for new flights. along with 20 other people.  <br /><br />So we ended up getting into FLL around 9:30 pm?It was quite hot &amp; the humidity was high?soon as we got near the bagge area you could feel the heat..we had pre-arranged pick up with Top Shuttle and called them to tell them of our change of pick up..as we came to luggage we saw our driver waiting for us, we were to stay 1 night at the Holiday Inn, Port of Miami ,we went to the van which was a nice size but found 2 back seat belts didn?t work.. and wow crazy driving..very crazy..Then as he was driving it was like he wasn?t sure where it was and again I repeated what Hotel we needed and he said yeah he knew where it was? he ended dropping us at the wrong Hotel, and we had no idea until we went into the Hotel we were at the wrong one.. we were 2 ? blocks from the right one after 10:00pm we walked to the other Hotel down the street with our entire luggage we were very tired and glad to get to our Hotel.  <br /><br />Our room was ok, for 1 night but I wouldn?t stay for longer ours wasn?t that clean, hair in bathroom and the pull out couch was dirty we did get a higher floor with a view but with it being so dark we weren?t sure what we were looking at.. we were hungry and tired but went to bed.  <br /><br />We were up around 8:00am and opened the curtains to see Bayside and the Port.. as the kids woke up my dh and I said ? I think ours is number #3? and I said ?no I think its #1?..the kids came over to look at what were talking about and then asked what the heck were #3 and #1 ?? .lol.. I said our next destination and 2 of the kids said all I can see are Cruise ships. and we said Yup that?s it&#33;&#33;&#33; They were excited and were a little freaked out.There were staring out the window going that huge Ship, NO WAY&#33;&#33;&#33; Then they asked if were joking ?lol.. nope we said .. My oldest asked can it sink.lol..  <br /><br />We went and had breakfast and then headed over to Bayside to walk around and see the sights a bit few stores were open but most opened after 11:00..kids got a few souvenirs. We just stopped and stared at the Ship from the deck area at Bayside?they couldn?t get that they were going on that Ship.  <br /><br />Since we had to check out by 11:00am we took a cab to the Port just after 11:00am?. we were able to get through all the lines that were there and we were on board just after 12:00 noon  <br /><br />As we boarded they were in awe of the whole ship and kept saying wow...lol.. We walked around the Promenade and headed to Windjammers for lunch. There was quite a few people already on board. We walked the entire ship and headed to our rooms around 1:30pm they just couldn?t believe they were onboard and were so excited they were almost giddy..lol..It was awesome to see.  <br /><br />We had a 9th floor aft our 1st balcony it was small but more than enough for dh &amp; I myself. and the kids had an inside triple almost right across the hall.   <br /><br />We sat on the balcony for a bit and saw some dolphins so dh took a few pics of them.  <br /><br />We meet our room attendant Antonio who was very quiet but did his job pretty well. we did ask that all mini bar items were removed so we could store our own drinks and such but it was never done but that was ok..Just warned the kids not to touch any of it..  <br /><br />We watched the ship leave Port just after 5:00pm..and then got ready for supper as we had main seating, we all got ready on time for supper.  <br /><br />We arrived at the Magellan dinning room on deck 3 and found our table 373, which was right beside the window in a quiet corner very nice spot.  <br /><br />We were at a table for 10 and were the 1st to arrive, our other tablemates arrived shortly after. Parents and 2 boys aged 20 and 18 and young lady around 12?USA and from the DC area.   <br /><br />Our waiter and assistant waiter and were AWESOME, Andrea, Elgin told to call him Engine.lol..they made our dinning experience the best and really the only reason we showed up to meals at our table.The head waiter also was very good, and came by nightly and even helped with parts of meal service can?t remember his name...sorry I could barely understand him most nights, he was wonderful  <br /><br />All I will say is our table mates were not chatty or friendly the Mother made some effort each night but they ignored us mostly through each meal, even when they had the serving staff and fun dancing night and other introductions and we cheered as the Executive Chef was Canadian the father an ex Military man rolled his eyes at our cheers. They made a few snide comments directed at us but not to us, if you know what I mean, we let it go  <br /><br />But after meal 3 with them it was almost a dread to come to dinner if it wasn?t for the staff we would have not bothered but I would have informed the staff , I was pretty well prepared not to come back to eat with them I eat light and wasn?t well the last few days and they made a point of pointing out that meals and lack of eating desserts was a shame. That Staff went to so much trouble and some people didn?t bother to enjoy things was a shame, but we went and enjoyed our dinning experience and ourselves despite them and cheered loudly for any Canadian staff member on dance and fun stuff the Staff did..tee hee  <br /><br />They really came across as they thought we were a bunch of hicks we knew better :o)   <br /><br />They did say they thought people dressed up too much for Cruises again perhaps again directed at us, my children were dressed in proper clothes we felt for each meal maybe dressy to them but we had planned out what we would wear for the trip and were quite ok with it all.  <br /><br />I didn&#39;t care if they thought we were too dressy but thought perhaps they brought it up as they were uncomfortable around us..we continued to dress as we had planned too..  <br /><br />The kids got to try many new foods, like Lobster Bisque, Duck, Onion tarts, Oxtail Broth, Lamb Shank, Fisherman?s plate, and oh the desserts they all were in heaven. 2 nights my son ordered 2 desserts and enjoyed them both..lol..  <br /><br />All our meals in the dinning room were incredible I had a few vegetarian meals that I didn?t like but it was a wonderful experience for the kids and us and the great staff.  <br /><br />As I was not well the kids and dh attended the Midnight Buffet and Chocolate &amp; Ice Sculptures and enjoyed it very much. Took lots of pics  <br /><br />The first Sea Day we spent all over the ship. It was warm but the Pool area being so packed we went from place to place, the girls found the arcade and spent a few hours there and my son headed to the basketball area. They did check out the teen area but choose to stick together for the most part. We really spent quite a bit of time together as a family and enjoyed it.  <br /><br />Most activities were busy like the golf and the inline skating It took me 2 days to find the screening room, which they showed Movies at but we never made it to any of them on time..lol..  We hung out mostly at the Promenade for coffee and cookies daily and my dh had a daily beer or two from the Crown and Kettle.  <br /><br />Our formal night was great, we took 4 background shots with us as a family and just the kids and we had a great dinning experience that night.  <br /><br />We took in a few shows and all were wonderful The Ice Skating was fabulous and I would highly recommend and its not to be missed&#33;&#33;  <br /><br />We didn?t end visiting the Casino maybe next time..  <br /><br />Grand Cayman, we had a private tour Land &amp; Sting Ray ?Thanks to CruiseCrazies   Janet &amp; MaryLou? all went well with my girls? and we were off the ship b/4 9:00am,we did find our Tour operator, as our Tour wasn?t to start to after 10:00am we were told to come back so we walked around and bought a few small items. It was crazy at the Port with people offering tours. And the heat WOW. it was 95 we were told and it sure felt like it?  <br /><br />We boarded a bus to start our tour and there was us and 1 other couple on our tour so 7 of us, a really nice size. We headed to the boat 1st which I wasn?t sure was going to be ok, as then we would be wet for the rest of the day. but it was the Highlight of our Trip.  We boarded a smaller boat just the 7 of our 1 guide and us. He took us out to the sand bar. It was packed as you will see from our pictures, but our guide was GREAT. He helped us hold a Sting Ray and helped us feed them, I will say when we first got in I was a little freaked out as they kind of pushed you over and my youngest was also a little scared but our guide stayed close and even helped my youngest daughter hold a baby sting ray as the larger ones were so heavy for her and she was too scared, mind you mom sting ray was at our feet and wanted her baby back. We spent a good 45- 1-hour there. And headed in..  <br /><br />Once back we ended up joining a group that was just starting the Tour and was going to do their Sting Ray swim last..They were very friendly with us, which was nice. We told them the Sting Rays were awesome and they would enjoy it, they were a family &amp; friends group of 14..so we were very happy to have our small group of 7.  <br /><br />We did the Turtle Farm which was a short Tour and then headed to Hell and a short stop at the Rum factory, I wished we had prepared ourselves as we didn?t have any water or anything else to eat all day and missed seeing a store to buy water at the Turtle Farm we were able to grab a drink at Hell. Which we really needed. We dropped the other group off at the their boat and we headed back to ship as we had a 3:30 last tender to make we got there as we got into a very long traffic jam and it took us over 25 min to get back to the ship.  <br /><br />The next day was Costa Maya, which was raining a bit but with some sun but a bit windy there were 2 other ships in and was very crowded. We did plan on sitting by the Pool at the Port and relax and did not plan any Tours. But with the weather we didn?t end up doing so..We walked around and enjoyed the Mexican dancers and bought a few things, we are not great at bargaining and again didn?t like the vendors pushiness and my oldest daughter got a fright when one man pulled her into his shop and was pushing her to buy things she got scared as we were in another shop. We bought a few things and know we got taken but oh well..lol..I got my plate and a few other things I wanted to get.  <br /><br />We headed back to the ship after a few hours and enjoyed the emptiness of the ship a bit. The girls went skating and my son headed to play basketball and dh and I sat and relaxed. We then went and played shuffle board the girls lost..we tried..  <br /><br />That night was our Skating Show time so we went to that.and that night is when the rock and roll of the ship began. The winds really picked up as we left Costa Maya and I ended up not feeling so well, and kept myself drugged with Dramamine during the day and another med at night to sleep. But that night not sure what happened but around 2 am was really sick to my stomach for a few hours that night but felt ok, the next day but still took some meds. Not sure if I ate something bad as I only had plain rice for supper but had some pasta and a veggie dish at lunch so not sure what it was all about.  <br /><br />Our last Sea Day we shopped and got a some shirts and had to buy an extra bag to take some of stuff home, but with most Ship items half price it was a good time.  <br /><br />It wasn?t that great of weather and many people stayed inside, as it was so windy, we heard they closed down a few places as balls from Sporting events were going over board. And the pool area was also unsafe. I also heard many people were unwell and we hoped it was seasickness and not a virus.  <br /><br />I did find it odd that they hand the hand cleaner as you came into the Windjammer for the first 3 days but after that they took it away, not sure why maybe they figured by then people weren?t getting sick, I wish they would keep it all the days just to be safe.  <br /><br />My dh and the girls went to the Ocean Lab Tour and had a great time they said they enjoyed it. I spent my time sorting through all the pictures that were taken and we got some wonderful ones, will post those some of those also.  We got our family pictures out of this trip so it was great.  <br /><br />Debarkment was smooth we got Lavender and we were called by 8:00ish, we finished coffee and hot cocoa and then got off the ship no problem, we had pre arranged again a pier pick-up with the same company we called them to say we were off very early and we had a pick up in 5 min.  <br /><br />Again they are very friendly but the vans are not as safe as we?d like them, none of our seat belts worked, and that made me nervous also when we left the Pier area and he went through a check out he didn?t have a pass and things got a little tense?He did get us to our Hotel Embassy Suites which was recommended and he found it no problem&#33;&#33; TG&#33;&#33;&#33; But I wouldn?t use this Company again, and I did email the Company about the wrong drop off and how the seat belts were not working, but didn?t get a response.  <br /><br />So we arrived very early and wasn?t sure we could get a room yet but we did, they actually had quite a few rooms, we saw where Wilma had caused the damage and how they were getting things fixed up. It is a very colorful and pretty Hotel, we dropped our things in our room on the 4th floor and we were still in time for the free breakfast so we went to that, we then went to the pool area which since the girls hadn?t really swam on the ship they spent a few hours in the pool there?free water and very nice area some of it was still closed the showers and the bar area and something else was roped off but it still was great.  <br /><br />The staff were good, the house keeping was something to be desired but enjoyed the Hotel overall and would stay again&#33;&#33;  <br /><br />It was warm and a beautiful day and the humidity was a bit lower?it was wonderful?We changed and watched a bit of tv and headed down to the Hotel dinning room. us and another couple were the only people there and the service was terrible. and the food besides the pizza which the kids ordered and were quite large was not very good, blah tasting and not worth the money..  <br /><br />We ended up crashing quite early that night and since 2 of us were still not feeling well glad I didn?t go ahead with the King Tut Tickets after all, as I?m not sure we would of made it.  <br /><br />The next day we had breakfast and took a cab to the Galleria Mall?We had a great time looking in shops we have only hear of and I was quite disappointed that Macy?s was closed.  <br /><br />We did our search for the Converse shoes while we looked in all the shops?we found some in the Lady Foot Locker, just the plain black ones.  So we searched on knowing we could come back and get those if we couldn?t find some of the cooler ones the kids had seen.  Well we saw this shop Hot Topic..OMG the girls went crazy once inside it was all this cool things from TV shows and Music?and we found some cooler shoes?and my youngest daughter who is really obsessed with animation found some cool things also and we got the shoes.. Yes oldest daughter found some that were marked down from 45.00 to 19.00 and then they were on sale again so we got a   great deal at 9.99 <br />  Son then wanted to look at basketball shoes so we headed to some store think it was Finisht Line or something like that.. and he found some shoes he couldn?t get here in Canada.  So shopping was a success?  <br /><br />We couldn?t believe this Mall though, I?ve lived and been to some very big Cities but I have never seen Valet parking service for a Mall, it was fun to watch people Valet park the cars for the Mall as we waited for a cab..lol..  <br /><br />We headed back to the Hotel with all our goodies and got dressed for supper, which I had been told that a Mexican place near by was good Carlos &amp; Pepes and it was good. And the kids got to try fried Ice Cream, which they enjoyed. We went back to the Hotel stuffed and prepared to pack for the next day  <br /><br />We ended up catching the Hotel shuttle to the airport to find out our Flights had been cancelled, and they said maybe we could get you something tomorrow..and hell no was my reaction. I said find another airline and get us seats&#33;&#33;   They were not very helpful and said we had to call the airline and arrange it, I again not that happy I said no you call you cancelled our flights you need to get us new ones&#33;&#33;  <br /><br />I was more worried as my dh had to work night shift Monday night and we needed to get home.  <br /><br />So something was said in Spanish which I?m sure wasn?t nice but an older lady got on the phone and came over to us and had gotten us on a flight out of FLL into Toronto with another airline. So we had a few hours to sit around at the FLL and then a 3 ? b/4 we could get a flight home, so instead of getting into the airport for 7:00pm and home hopefully for 10:00 ish we got in after 11:00pm and didn?t get home until almost 2:30 am.  <br /><br />So a wonderful trip over all we had a few major bumps in the road planning and going and coming but none of it matters as we had a GREAT time and the GREAT memories will always win over the bad ?',1171229468,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',2106,'cruisinmama',1,78,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(113,147,'5/19/06','Any questions, I&#39;ll try to help. All-in-all this was a wonderful trip and we would not hesitate to recommend it to everyone.','This was our 15th Royal Caribbean Cruise and the first on the Explorer.   <br /><br /><br />Capte Liberty still has a few kinks to work out, expecially when the ship in disembarking at the same time the new passengers are arriving. There is only one road into the terminal area and it gets very messy at times. Once inside the terminal however things were much better. We checked in immediately (at about 11:30) and waited in a comfortable waiting room til they started boarding. Leaving from Cape Liberty requires you to take a shuttle bus from the terminal out to the ship and we were on the first shuttle at about 12:15.  <br /><br />The Explorer is in wonderful condition and they are constantly working to keep it that way. Every day that the ship was in port, small sections were roped off while they replaced carpets and they are constantly polishing and mopping. Captain Ryan runs a tight ship and was seen all over the ship, checking things out and chatting with the passengers to get their feedback.   <br /><br />Our room - 9692 - would not be ready til 1PM so we went to the Windjammer for lunch where we met up with 3 other couples who we met on the Voyager last year and decided to cruise with again this year. The food in the WJ was better than some buffets we have had. Hand sanitizers were at the entrance and you had to use them before entering but you could serve yourself at the buffet. Generally if there is any illness outbreak the crew will serve you and we saw no sign of this during our trip.   <br /><br />At 1 we returned to our cabin and found it is very good shape. Our aft balcony had plenty of storage space but was missing the lounge chairs we have come to expect in aft balconies. One nice touch was an umbrella waiting in the closet from our Room attemdant (Florence) who thought we might need it for sail-away since it was raining. Florence kept out room clean and was happy to help in any way she could.   <br /><br />As Diamond members we had access to the Concierge Lounge where Ricky took excellent care of us. DH somehow managed to forget his tie for his tux on Formal night and one call to Ricky had him all set in a matter of minutes. It later turned out Ricky went to his own cabin and got an extra one he had. He also helped us arrange a party on our balcony for our traveling friends.   <br /><br />The 8 friends had table 506 in the DR - a beautiful table right at the window - where Darshon and Janos took wonderful care of us. We found the food to be very good but the selections a bit limited. The food was always hot, prepared beautifully and service efficient and attentive. Our Head Waiter visited our table every night and seemed to take delight in the fact that we all had met on a cruise ship and now cruise together.   <br /><br />We all dined in Portofino&#39;s once during the trip and the food there was exceptional and well worth the extra &#036;20PP charge.   <br /><br />Allan Brooks was our CD and was fun, energetic and everywhere. He kept things moving along and was one of the better CD&#39;s we have had in a long time. The shows ranged from poor (Magic act and one comedian) to excellent (The Knudson Brothers ) and the Productions shows were average. The Ice Show was wonderful though and made up for some of the other entertainment.   <br /><br />We did not do much in all the ports as DH had surgery on his ankle the week before we sailed and was warned not to get any sand or water on the area but did enjoy the peace and quiet on the ship.',1171229516,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',488,'cruisetarp',1,164,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(114,144,'5/19/06','My wife and I were fortunate to be invited as part of a group to attend one of these complimentary sailings, as were many RCCL Crown &amp; Anchor Society Diamond Plus members.','After a series of inaugural short sailings from New York, Freedom of the Seas was scheduled for a series of two-day and one day sailings from Boston before heading to Miami later in the week.  <br /><br />Flying into Boston Logan airport we were met by the RCCL representative and directed to shuttle buses starting at 10:15am. We arrived at the Black Falcon Terminal, were issued numbers and provided seating until our group number was called for check in. The lines moved quickly with plenty of check-in staff. Our bags were x-rayed and we pulled our own wheeled luggage aboard. We were in our cabin before 11:30.  <br /><br />We were assigned cabin 6453, an inside category L cabin, 152 sq ft. The new upgraded bedding on Freedom of the Seas is sensational&#33; The only problem is that when the new, larger beds are made up as a queen, you cannot walk around to the side of the bed. It is that tight. Oceanview and above should be alright, as the cabins are larger. The cabin had two Pullman bunks in the ceiling, and for four people there would be inadequate storage. There was one closet which did have three shelves and the safe. The vanity had 6 small drawers, and there were small storage areas behind the mirror but the spaces were too small to be of much use. There was a small refrigerator even in this small inside cabin. The bathroom was not large, but the shower had a solid revolving door which kept the floor dry. No toiletries are provided except soap. All cabins feature flat screen TV?s with a variety of programming, movies, CNN and ESPN.  <br /><br />After lunch in the Windjammer Caf?, we spent several hours touring and photographing the ship. It was my second time on a Voyager class ship, and it made getting around easier, knowing where to look for things, as the layout is similar across the class, just larger on Freedom. The weather was rainy most of the weekend, in port and at sea, but we headed topside in a short break in the rain to see the Flowrider. Staff in wetsuits were demonstrating boogie boarding and short boarding. The rockwall is immense, and in addition to the basic, high wall, there is also a free standing column. The wall/column face the sports court, a nearly full sized basketball court. The H2O Zone provides ample space for children to play in the water fountains. We did note that the spa pool is outdoors. There is no pool area covered and available for use in case of rainy weather. Johnny Rockets Diner is popular, but was reported by other passengers to have a 1 hr 45 min wait. The Fuel and Teen and Arcade areas are also near Johnny Rockets, with a large number of very elaborate arcade games, and areas for teens to hang out. Adventure Ocean area for younger children is in the same area. Miniature golf and the golf simulator are on the same area aft.  <br /><br />The signature Viking Crown lounge is above, overlooking the pools, and contains a bar called Olive or Twist, and a musical performance area. With only two bartenders it was understaffed when crowded. Except for the main dining rooms, dining areas are all in the same area, on Deck 11, the pool deck. Windjammer Caf? offers burger mania, pasta, and general hot buffet items, as well as dessert islands. At breakfast they offer omelets and eggs to order. The beverages are dispensed by staff, so passengers are not helping themselves to coffee, tea, ice water, and iced tea or juices. They are pre-poured by the staff. Forward of the Windjammer is a section called Jade, featuring cafeteria lines for salads and Asian foods. Portofino, the specialty Italian restaurant, and Chops, the specialty seafood and steaks restaurant, are located on the starboard and port side, respectively, forward of the other areas. Each have many window tables, and are subdivided into two seating areas to provide a more intimate feeling than in a large restaurant.  <br /><br />The next area we visited was the Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of Deck 5.  On the forward end is Pharaoh?s Palace, which features a rock and roll band in a club atmosphere. The Promenade can best be described as a large indoor mall, featuring among other things the fashion, logo, jewelry and fragrance and general stores. Features include Sorrento?s Italian deli with pizza until 3am, sandwiches, and Italian deli items. The Bull and Bear Pub features a dart room and a guitar entertainer at night, and Vintages is a wine bar which offers wines by the glass as well as wine flights. Both offer seating inside and outside on the Promenade. Ben and Jerry?s ice cream is a popular shop and is next door to A Clean Shave, an old fashioned barber shop. Caf? Promenade offers Seattle?s Finest coffees and tables inside and on the Promenade itself to ?people watch?. At the after end is the Purser?s Desk/Guest Relations, and across the way is the cozy Champagne Bar.   <br /><br />The main dining rooms are at the aft end of decks 3, 4, and 5. It is actually one huge dining room with three levels and the center open with a huge crystal chandelier. Deck 3 is Leonardo Dining Room, and has a red upholstery theme. Deck 4 is Isaac (Newton) dining room with a blue theme, and Deck 5 is Galileo dining room with a white theme. We ate in Galileo?s both nights with members of our group. Service is good. The food was good, not excellent, as was presentation, likely the consequence of serving 4,000 people. Beef tenderloin was offered both nights, no lobster. The menu had 4 selections to choose from among the appetizers, salads, soups, and entrees. Dessert the first night offered a cr?me Brule which came with no caramelized crust. Cherries Jubilee were among the offerings the second night. Each also offered low-fat items. Always available were Caesar salad, salmon, and sirloin steak.  <br /><br />Deck 4 contains the RCCL trademark Schooner Bar, which is really too small for the crowd the evening entertainer attracts. Overflow crowd actually blocks the passage way. The entrance to the two deck disco, The Crypt, is located here. A white d?cor with black light gives it atmosphere. The casino is mid ships. It is large with many tables and slots, but narrow aisles and a bar in the middle make is a bit crowded to navigate. Aft of the casino is the photo gallery and Boleros, a bar which features Latin music, a small dance floor, and Latin drinks, such as Mojitos.   <br /><br />Forward on Decks 2 and 3 is located the Arcadia Theatre. Seating on the main floor is excellent with great sight lines. The balconies feature some columns which do block the view for some seats. The sailing featured two shows: &quot;Once Upon a Time&quot; and &quot;Marquee&quot;. Both were two of the best shows I&#39;ve ever seen on board a ship. The six talented singers were Broadway quality, in my opinion. From deck 3 aft you enter Studio B, the location of an auditorium sized conference center where the ice rink is located, on deck 2. For conferences the ice is covered with flooring. The ice show was spectacular, with a Russian couple doing more instant, magical, on-ice costume changes than I could count. Deck 3 also features On Air Club, a karaoke club.  <br /><br />Despite the large number of passengers, near 4,000, it never seemed crowded to me, we had no trouble finding seating in Windjammer, and check-in/debarkation went smoothly. The ship will begin 7 night Western Caribbean sailings from Miami this month, visiting Labadee, Montego Bay, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. When her sister ship, Liberty of the Seas, joins the fleet in April 2007, the two ships will alternate Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings.   <br /><br />A final note for those who might consider a cruise from Boston: We had about a 4 ? hour wait between arriving back at Logan Airport and our afternoon flight home. Asking at the MassPort information desk, we were advised we could catch a free shuttle bus, 33, outside on the second island which takes us to the station for the Blue Line elevated/subway train. Ticket machines accept cash or debit/credit cards and the fare is &#036;1.25 per person. We boarded the Inbound train, rode two stations to the Aquarium stop, and walked about 2 blocks to Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. These are festival marketplaces with shops and food stalls, especially featuring ?chowda?. After lunch and viewing street performers, we took the train back and the free shuttle to the airport for our check-in for the flight.',1171229639,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',131,'JohnG',1,160,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(115,144,'8/27/06','I met lots of teen friends, and this turned out my most memorible trip because of all the great and dignified friends I met. However I dont think we will be returning to Royal Carribean cruise lines anytime soon.','Well let me start off with a little introduction of myself so you can understand it from my point of view. I&#39;m 16 and pretty new to all this cruising. This is my third cruise, unless you count the Queen Mary I which doesnt move&#33; Hahaha. Well for this ship, it was my first time on the Royal Carribean. My family and I plan to go at least once on every ship company before we go back to the ones we really liked. So anyways onto the cruise, we went on a seven day cruise to the western carribean.  <br /><br /><br />We stayed at the Holiday Inn thats right across the bridge from the port of Miami. I wish we could have stayed longer in Miami, its pretty fun. Tough crowd though, but the nighttime market was certainly fun to shop at. Food at the market and the mall next to the market was so cheap&#33; Specially Japanese food, *drools* I love sushi(&#036;3-4 USD) and terryaki chicken. Japanese food here in Canada is so expensive compared that that lol. We only stayed one night but I wished we stayed around three nights. If you depart from Miami for one of your cruises I suggest one or two nights because hotels there are pretty expensive. Our hotel Holiday Inn was about &#036;120 a night, but we got two tickets for breakfast which was a really nice breakfast. The fire alarm went off while my dad was showering so that was hilarious. We grabbed our passports, wallets, and purses and ran down eight flights of stairs to the parking lot. There we met a bunch of people in swiming suits from the pool standing around muttering. later we found out that it was a false alarm, the annoying alarm went off a few more times that night so that was annoying but we ignored it. So the next morning we complained and got two more free breakfast buffet tickets. Hot breakfast by the way. The telephone there does NOT accept coins, only prepaid phone cards and credit cards lol, thats new to me.   <br /><br />Embarkakment took really really really long, after getting off from our corporate sedan at the cruise terminal in Miami. We lined up and went through ALOT of security checks, mostly they were to see if we had tickets for the right ship. After finally making it past the luggage check we arrived to a large waiting room. However the room was blocked off halfway into it with security standing there and rope. IMAGINE&#33; Over 3000 people in a room thats like 30 meters by 20 metres. We were literally all sitting on the floor, how undignified. They had a very very limited amount of seating and benches. The wedding party had higher priority than us, yeesh so they got to go first. Then we did, we then also had to go through alot more security checkpoints. In all, we left the hotel at around 10 am and was waiting in the terminal from around 11 to 2 30 pm. Talk about a long wait, then when we were crossing the gang plank we waited a long long time in the smothering heat of the so called new seaport terminal which had glass windows and some glass roofing. They set up these massive fans which literally almost blew us away lol. The gangplank had a weight limit so we were allowed a few people at a time which really slowed down the line. When we got on, we were greeted, by a bunch of waiters and servers talking to EACH OTHER. We just passed on by and headed to our room on the eighth floor.   <br /><br />First complaint I have is that the few elevators on the ship available to passengers are really really really slow. I ran up and down the stairs faster than that elevator. Everyone complained about the lack of elevators and elevator speed. The elevators are really nicely made though, the glass elevators that is if you&#39;d like waiting for elevators then its worth the wait. Otherwise just cotton picking walk up the stairs. Second complain I have is that there is not enough washrooms on board&#33; Theres two washrooms on the top three or four floors, and two washrooms on the lowest three floors. I had to seriously use the bathroom once and ran up tne stairs from level 3 to level 14 to use the washroom. The buffet does not have much variety of food, alot of the food is the same or varries very little from one corner to the other four corners of the buffet. The buffet is called Windjammer, don&#39;t bother walking all the way around. You&#39;re not missing much, only go to the end when you want desert. What I liked about the buffet is that it had sushi almost every night but the sushi was different then any I have tasted but still good. The teenage room(FUEL) was very nicely made, I can&#39;t say the same for the activities planned. The activities were so few and boring it was pathetic, for example we had an activitie like vollyball go on from 3 pm to 6, yes I would like to play volleyball for three hours straight. Then there would be no activities till around eight pm, every night we would be dancing in those dark, what do you call those undignified dances where its dark and people are making out everywhere. Ah yes, raves. I swear, adults out there, not all teenagers are like that. There are the dignified ones like I.   <br /><br />The food on the cruise was ok, we didnt get lobster until the night AFTER formal ngiht which was interesting. The service was pretty good I guess. The shows were well showed but the cheography needs something to be desired perhaps it&#39;s because their new. I&#39;d say give them a bit more time and It will be very good. Trust me, I take hip hop and musical theatre dancing, I know good. The band on board was very good, nice improvising. I met lots of teen friends, and this turned out my most memorible trip because of all the great and dignified friends I met. However I dont think we will be returning to Royal Carribean cruise lines anytime soon.',1171229699,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',2692,'Jimmykaboots',1,198,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(116,144,'11/5/06','1 out of 10 i give the ship an 7 the service 10 the shows a 4 and the food a 4','Well I would never say anything bad about royal Caribbean but this ship was not all i was hoping. the service was great and getting on and off the ship was fast but food was not at Royal&#39;s standers or mine.the balcony was dirty and smokey there were no life-jackets in the room or towels (we did get both very fast after calling. the dining room was to crouded everyone was hitting other tables chars and the servers were running into each other food looked nice but the tast was not real good most was cold or not cooked all the way (every potato dish was not cooked) the promenade was always to busy to see the parade but had some nice shops and bars even a barbershop ware you can get a old fashion shave that was cool. the casino was always busy and had to many slots and need more table games. there are lots to do on this ship ice skate, wave rider, ect. the shows were not to bad but not well rehearsed or the  dancers were new. over all it is a fun ship but needs to work the bugs out.  <br /><br /><br />1 out of 10 i give the ship an 7 the service 10 the shows a 4 and the food a 4 <br /><br />i will go on her again someday or the next ship out but not for some time so the bugs can get worked out.',1171229744,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',2516,'frostyboy64',1,253,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(117,156,'4/1/03','In summary, we loved the ship, enjoyed itinerary, and would enjoy the same cruise on the same ship again.','Arrival<br />We selected this itinerary for our spring break cruise with our two teenagers, our second RCL cruise, 17th overall. We flew down the morning of departure to New Orleans, arriving at the airport about 11:40am. We had arranged for a limo with an agency we found on the web boards, and a white stretch limo with a bottle of champagne was waiting for us by 12:15 in the parking garage across from baggage carousel number eight, as they had said it would be. While the emails from the vendor indicated we could pay by credit card, the driver would only take cash. The limo is cheaper than a taxi for four. We arrived at the Juliett St Terminal with 9 bags about 12:45, and whisked through embarkation process in 20 minutes. They did have us fill out a SARS virus questionnaire. We were aboard by 1:10pm, with sailing scheduled for 5pm, so had plenty of time to explore, check dining table assignment, and have lunch before the scheduled 4:30pm life boat drill. We purchased a soft drink sticker for my son for &#036;23 for unlimited fountain drinks. We also purchased a 12 drink, nonalcoholic, card for my daughter for &#036;21 which included ?smoothies?, which are her favorite. Our bags arrives about 3:30pm <br /><br />Cabin<br />Grandeur is in fine shape, showing no wear, in our opinion. We were assigned two adjoining balcony cabins on deck 7, starboard side, just aft of midships. Each cabin had a queen sized bed made from two twins but were very comfortable. They each also had a sofa bed that opened into a double. There was plenty of storage of two people per cabin, but four would have been tight. Lots of small shelves, cabinets, and a mini-refrigerator, dressing table, coffee table, and two chairs and a small table on the balcony. The balconies are very private, with no observation at all from above, and from the adjacent balcony you would have to lean or peer to see the next balcony. The standard bathroom had a shampoo dispenser in the shower, but no other amenities. The one drawback to the location was that the cabins were located over the Schooner Bar and they played music and vocals there until about 12:30am which could be heard in the cabin. <br /><br />We were assigned table for four, as requested, table 136 on the main floor of the Great Gatsby dining room. It is a large two level room, the main floor on deck 4. <br /><br />The lunch in the Windjammer Caf? on deck 9, the pool, solarium, and spa deck, was typical buffet fare, but had the addition of a taco bar, a sandwich or wrap bar, and a dessert buffet. The Windjammer is a light, airy room in the front of the ship overlooking the bow, unlike most other ships where the buffet room is all the way aft on the ship. I liked the arrangement. <br /><br />Lifeboat drill in mandatory, and they repeatedly announced they were checking cabins to ensure everyone was on deck. Due to late arrival on the pier of some supplies, the ship sailed about 45 minutes late, at 5:45pm. As daylight savings time had arrived the week before, the first two hours of the trip down river to the gulf was in daylight. The old Commodore Lines Enchanted Isle is still moored, rusting, downriver. <br /><br />Food<br />My impression on my first RCL cruise about 4 years ago was that RCL had great physical plant, layouts and mediocre food. For the first half of the cruise I felt the same. I expect cruise food to have a ?wow? factor, and things I don?t cook at home. The basic lunch and dinner menus for the dining room are contained in the Welcome directory in the cabin, so we could see what to expect and could plan our wine accordingly. We bring our own champagne for cabin consumption and wine for the dining room, were we gladly pay the &#036;8 corkage fee, when/if they charge it (5 of 7 nights this week). <br /><br />The lunch in the Windjammer Caf? on deck 9, where the pool, solarium, and spa are also located, was typical buffet fare, but had the addition of a taco bar, a sandwich or wrap bar, and a dessert buffet. The Windjammer is a light, airy room in the front of the ship overlooking the bow, unlike most other ships where the buffet room is all the way aft on the ship. I liked the arrangement. For dinners we were assigned a table for four, as requested, table 136 on the main floor of the Great Gatsby dining room. It is a large two level room, the main floor on deck 4. <br /><br /><br />Each day the lunch and dinner menus are posted outside the dining room by morning, and there are a few additions beyond the basic menu. Regardless of the menu, every day options include New York strip steak and Norwegian salmon. The directory had listed no lobster night, no escargot, no beef Wellington or Chateaubriand. But, fortunately, they saved the best for last. Day 4 was a Mardi Gras dinner, with typical Louisiana/New Orleans fare, including shrimp etoufee, gumbo, catfish and fried chicken, followed by an optional terrific serving of Bananas Foster, if desired. We also had escargot, shrimp cocktail and lobster on the second formal night ?day 6 after leaving Key West early in the day. Other entrees we enjoyed included Duck ala Orange, strip sirloin and filet mignon steaks with bernaise sauce, rack of lamb and roast lamb, a variety of fish including tilapia, cod, halibut, mahi-mah, salmon and others. Breakfast in the dining room includes eggs benedict every day, and the Windjammer breakfast includes all the usual buffet items plus eggs and omelets to order. No tomato juice for us type 2 diabetics, though. Only fruit juices. There were two midnight buffets, a chocolate buffet early in the week, and the Grand buffet on Thursday, the second formal night. In the end, I was well satisfied with the food. One night the waiters danced with lighted cakes on their heads, another night they marched and sang, and the last night they all paraded to the stairway in the dining room carrying national flags. The Matre De was very visible, stopped by the table every night, and even sampled our wines when I offered him the opportunity. The Wait Staff was efficient, and even perhaps a bit too quick for my taste. But they remembered our preferences for tea or milk, or a fruit and cheese plate for dessert. <br />We enjoyed room service full breakfast on the balcony twice, and my kids enjoyed peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and other snack, including pizza slices from room service. The normal room service 24-hour menu is somewhat limited, but during dining room lunch and dinner hours the full menu from the dining room is available from room service. <br /><br />Entertainment<br />The welcome show the first night was a comedian and welcome by the cruise director and dancers. The evening shows in the Palladium generally offered a first show at 7pm for those who had late seating at dinner, and another show, at 9pm, I believe, for those who went to main seating so they could attend after dinner. Sunday night was a Review of Broadway musical shows. Monday was another comedian. Tuesday was a show, The Beat Goes On, a musical review of the 50?s through the 90?s. Wednesday, where the ship remains overnight in Key West, was an Illusionist. Thursday was an impressionist, and Friday they had a matinee show at 2pm, their first ever they said, a Carol King Tapestry musical review. In addition to the usual bingo and casino, ice carving, napkin folding, and cooking demos and wine tasting for those interested, there were multiple venues for dancing from pre-dinner through late night. One we especially enjoyed was the Glen Fox Trio playing in the Centrum Lounge. Most nights when there wasn?t a reception planned there, in the South Pacific Lounge the show band played dance music ranging from big band sounds to 50-60?s night, to 70?-90?s mix. The Viking Crown Lounge had romantic dancing most nights for an hour before it turned into a disco at 10:30. No one under 18 allowed in the disco. <br /><br />Children<br />There are organized programs for children 6-10 years, 11-14. and 15-17, with a daily schedule of events delivered to the cabins. There is also baby-sitting service available in cabin with 24 hour advance request, and centralized baby sitting in the children?s center for the younger ones. As it was spring break for our 13 and 15 year old, there were a significant number of children and teens aboard, but not so many as to be disruptive. The Solarium Pool and Hot tubs enforce a rule that no one under 16 is allowed, despite the nearby pizza/hamburger station. This is a lovely lounging area around the pool with the retractable roof. Water kept at 77 degrees in the pool with some powerful water jets in it. The main, open-air pool was where the children congregated. <br /><br />Special Events<br />As it was Holy Week, and Passover, the ship had some accommodations for this. A Catholic priest had mass every day in the South Pacific Lounge at 8am. On Friday of Passover there was an interfaith service also in the afternoon. <br /><br />The Captain?s Welcome aboard reception was held on Sunday, the first formal night, with mixed drinks and light appetizers served by roaming waiters. Photos/portraits are available only for about three one-hour periods, an hour before the two dinner seatings and one hour after. Lines were shorter than we had experienced on other lines. The Crown &amp; Anchor Society/Repeaters Reception was held on Monday evening, with champagne for all and hot and cold appetizers from self-service buffet stations. The Crown &amp; Anchor Society Platinum and Diamond level reception was held on Thursday from 11:45am-12:30pm in the Viking Crown Lounge, and offered champagne, steamed shrimp, hot and cold appetizers, and even a free ?smoothie? for my daughter. These were easily the best such events we have attended in 17 cruises. The Captain, a 37 year old Argentinean, is personable, mixes a lot, and has sense of humor. In addition to his shipboard experience, he also has helped in the construction/outfitting of Voyager class vessels. Repeaters/Crown &amp; Anchor Society members also receive a coupon booklet for free wine tasting, a 2 for 1 drink, spa and shop discounts, bingo cards, and the casino. <br /><br />I was surprised at how few tuxedos were worn on either formal night, less than I have observed on any of our 17 cruises except on Royal clipper. The first one was listed as ?Formal Desired?, the second as ?Formal/Suit and Tie.? There are far more tuxedos today on Carnival Spirit class ships than on the Grandeur last week. We enjoy, especially my wife and daughter, dressing formally once in a while, and even my teen-aged son seems to feel special dressed in his tux. They also have a flower cart available every night before dinner. I prefer to have corsages made up for my wife and daughter, and they readily accommodated me when I stopped by the purser?s desk to inquire. I found our later that the head housekeeper made them up: a single red rose with baby?s breath for my wife and a similar one for a wrist corsage for my daughter. A little duct tape added to the installed safety pin and wrist ribbon tie---a newly discovered additional use of duct tape. <br /><br />Grandeur, homeported in New Orleans, tries to continue the theme, focused on the Louisiana Bicentennial, by offering daily Louisiana based classic movies, zydeco dance lessons several days, a Mardi Gras theme dinner, and a late night Mardi Gras dance party. We brought our beads and masks, but few others did. The late night get together was a disappointment, as it was mostly line dancing and reggae music from the pool band, and a taco buffet bar, no less. The staff tossed a few beads and masks but that was about it for the late night Mardi Gras event. <br /><br />A personal observation I made was how receptive the staff was to special requests. Whether it was my request for corsages, or a special request for a birthday cake for my about to become a teen daughter, or a request to accommodate us for late delivery of an invitation to our cabin, or to make an adjustment on our account, the staff seemed generally eager to please us. <br /><br />Ports Calls<br />Progresso: Arrived in Progresso at 8am. We went ashore about 10:30 and rode a free shuttle bus down the 3 mile length of the pier into town. We visited the local indoor market which included butchers, a fish market which included sharks, a local version of a food court, and general shops. Across the street was an open tourist market next to the local library, where the shuttle bus drops people off. T-shirts were 5 for &#036;20, necklaces &#036;4, and so on. They accepted US currency and gave change in USD. We then walked to the beach, which is just east of the long pier. It is on the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, so the prevailing winds are a bit stronger and the water is churned and sandy. Fine for body surfing but not suitable for snorkeling at all. The beachfront is lined for blocks with restaurants and bars, and on the beach are tented areas where food and beverage can be served by the restaurants. There were plenty of lounge chairs and no one asked us for any rental fee in the several hours we were there. We ate at one of the restaurants, name in Spanish: The Old Man &amp; the Sea. They have bathrooms and changing areas in the restaurant, and they accept Visa cards. There are many roaming vendors, but they are not persistent and move on if you show no interest. We paid &#036;34 for 4 beers, 2 large bottles of coke, nachos for two, grilled marinated shrimp, and a chili cheeseburger. The last bus to the ship left at 4pm, and the ship sailed at 4:30. <br /><br />Cozumel: We have been here numerous times and love Cozumel. After many trips to Chankanaab we decided to try the beach resort at Playa Sol, which I had not visited in years. The ship arrived at 9am, and the Carnival Holiday and Victory were already there at the new international pier. We berthed at the next pier, closer to town, where Senor Frogs has opened a ? Senor Frogs, with a pool. The duty free shops here are not as elaborate as those at the newer pier. Taxi for 4 to Playa Sol was &#036;14. Admission, including all facilities, is &#036;8 each, and I had a &#036;1 coupon from their website. You need one coupon per person and the website isn?t always up. For those wanting unlimited beer and rum punch and soft drinks, the cost is &#036;30 each, and for unlimited beverage and a luncheon buffet the cost is &#036;37, a bit much in my opinion. I purchased a beer and a rum punch for &#036;8. They take VISA at the gate. Snorkeling was fair, with some underwater manmade Mayan structures where fish congregate. Water is clear, but there were many tiny jellyfish. I felt no sting, however. Lounge chairs are included in the admission fee, but beach umbrellas may be rented for &#036;4. There are showers and restrooms, but no lockers that I could see. We then took a taxi into the far end of town for &#036;20. Visited Diamonds International to replace my wife?s engagement ring, which they had ready, after swapping stones, in an hour. We stopped at Viva Mexico to shop and then walked to the new location of Senor Frogs and Carlos and Charlie?s at the extreme other end of the waterfront strip. Carlos and Charlie?s is now a first floor venue, and Senor Frogs is above it on the second floor. Both are owned by the same family. My daughter had a Yard of virgin strawberry daiquiri and announced that when she grows up she wants to go there and live at Senor Frogs. Wrong&#33; As usual we had a great time and lunch there. They also take VISA. Taxi back to the ship was &#036;10 and we returned to the ship by the 5pm deadline. <br /><br />Key West: Arrived at 11:30 at the channel. US Immigration reps boarded and spent the next two hours, while the ship steamed in and berthed at the Hilton/Hyatt piers, checking everyone? passports or birth certificates and picture ID?s. We were the only ship in port that day. They allowed passengers ashore by 1:45pm and we left about 2:30. We walked around Duval Street, toured the Curry Mansion in where my wife and I had stayed for a week several years ago, visited Fat Tuesday?s and Hard Rock Caf?, then headed to the Half Shell Raw Bar for lunch. We enjoyed fish and chips made from mahi-mahi, a pound of Key West Gold (large steamed shrimp), conch chowder and conch fritters, and an oyster shooter which includes a free glass. The latter is not on the menu and you have to ask for it. With beers, soda?s and tips it was just over &#036;50. Half Shell is a Key West institution, on the waterfront, no pretense, but great food. After Key Lime Pie on a stick, we wandered back to Mallory Square for the sunset events preceding the 7:45pm EDT sunset. We enjoyed the unicyclist, the one man band, dog show, acrobats, artisans and food booths. Since the ship remains on New Orleans CDT all week, we returned in plenty of time for our 8:30pm second seating dinner. After dinner we walked back briefly into town with my 13 year old daughter, but she was not allowed with us in Sloppy Joe?s or Irish Kevin?s, so we were not able to do the night time pub crawl we had looked forward to. The ship doesn&#39;t sail until 5:30am the next day. <br /><br />Debarkation<br />On Friday colored luggage tags were distributed based on your departure flight arrangements. With a 12:20 flight we obtained orange tags. Bags were to be put in the halls between 7 and 11pm. Comment cards were distributed. If you prefer to have gratuities charged to you Sea Pass card, you must submit a form by Wednesday. Otherwise envelopes are available for use on the last night. Comment cards are distributed on Friday, as are customs declaration forms. The ship sailed upriver Friday night arriving about 3am in New Orleans. By the 7am wake up call all bags were already ashore. They asked they we vacate our cabins by 8am. The Windjammer serves breakfast 6:30 to 8am, and the dining room from 7-8:30. By 8:30 the ship had been cleared and the first tags called. We were in the second set of tags, and were called as we finished our breakfast. No one even asked for the customs declaration. Our bags were waiting and we were at the curb before 9am. Our limo was not there, and we had to call the dispatcher, as the number we had went to voice mail. The limo arrived about 9:35 and we were at the airport by 10am for our flight. The embarkation and debarkation are remarkably quick and easy. I was impressed. <br /><br />In summary, we loved the ship, enjoyed itinerary, and would enjoy the same cruise on the same ship again. What higher compliment can I pay? It is funny how a 2,100 passenger, 7 year old ship is thought of as old with all the new behemoths coming on line. I prefer this size and style of ship. Well done, Grandeur.',1171229866,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',131,'JohnG',1,56,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(118,156,'9/1/06','All in all it was a terrific cruise despite the weather and I think RC and Captain Rob did everything in their power to keep us comfortable and happy. I would sail on the Grandeur again without hesitation.','We arrived in Baltimore on August 31st and planned on spending the day walking around the Inner Harbor. We had a room at the Renaissance Harborfront Hotel - very nice hotel right across the street from the Harbor. Our plans were rained out by dinner time however so we went back to the hotel and settled in.   <br /><br /><br />Friday morning we woke to more rain, very heavy at time, but from the restaurant on the 5th floor of the hotel we could see the Crown &amp; Anchor and the Viking Crown Lounge off in the distance. We checked out at about 10:30 and made the 8 minute drive to the ship. The new terminal in Baltimore is really terrific and they certainly have their act together. Upon entering the lot you are directed to a line where you drive up and your luggage is removed from your car and put into huge containers. You then park and walk a very short distance to the terminal. Check-in was a breeze but we were told that since the ship was 2 hours late arriving in the morning we could not board til Noon. We sat in a comfortable waiting room and cookies and water were supplied.  <br /><br />At exactly noon they allowed us to begin boarding according to colored tickets we were given when we registered. We were the first group to board. Our cabins were not ready yet but the buffet in the Windjammer was open and waiting for us.   <br /><br />After lunch (standard buffet food but it suited us fine) we went to our cabin 8530 a Junior Suite. The room was in good shape but we were a bit surprised by a large pole at the foot of the bed. Thankfully it was well padded as it is difficult to avoid, especially in the middle of the night. The room had more than enough storage space even for a compulsive over-packer like me. We had all our luggage and were unpacked by 2:00. At 2:30 we went to the Viking Crown lounge to meet some new friends and after Muster drill (very fast, painless &amp; necessary) we were on our way. There was some concern early in the day that because of Hurricane Ernesto and the storm surge, getting under the Key Bridge might be an issue but it was no problem. The trip down the Chesapeake was smooth and although the Captain had said we would have some &quot;Motion on the Ocean&quot; once we hit open water, we thought the trip was extremely smooth.   <br /><br />The Grandeur is a great ship, very easy to navigate but is beginning to show its age. They are constantly working on it and were replacing carpeting on this trip so at times sections of different decks or stairs were off limits.   <br /><br />We had early seating and had table 188 in the Dining Room - a table for 7 which after two or three days was changed into a table for 5 and we had a lot more room. Two of our tablemates never did show up. Our wait staff was terrific and took very good care of us. After the first night our Iced Teas were waiting for us and they knew who liked Regular coffee and who had DeCaff  <br /><br />I know food is very subjective but we always found something to our liking and certainly never went hungry. The Head Waiter visited our table every evening to check on us and see how our day was.  <br /><br />We saw a few shows, 1 great comedian, 1 not so great and left during the magic show. We did not see the Revue shows as we have seen them all many times before.   <br /><br />Our first 3 ports, Miami, Key West and Cozumel we were greeted by rains like I have never seen before. Torrential downpours all afternoon. In Miami we went to the Alligator park for the AirBoat ride which was a lot of fun even in the downpour but even the alligators had more sense than to come out so we only saw 1 or two babies.  <br /><br />Key West - we were supposed to take the Trolley tour but I decided not to wade through ankle deep water to cross the street to the trolley so we went back to the ship and enjoyed our balcony.  <br /><br />Cozumel - today was interesting to say the least. More heavy, heavy rain and I feared for our lives in the Taxi to Paradise beach for lunch. We figured we would be fine once we got under the roof for the bar/restaurant there but we did not know the roof leaked like crazy. It was becoming laughable and we made our way back to the ship dripping wet.   <br /><br />Costa Maya - The Sun Is Out&#33;&#33;&#33; We made our way into town where we delivered some school supplies for the children there and then took a cab to Pez Quadro - an absolutely gorgeous little beach with swings instead of bar stools around the bar.Wehad wonderful lobster lunch on the beach and enjoyed a terrific day there. That one day certainly made up for the past 3 days of nasty weather and it looks like we have finally lost Hurricane Ernesto.  <br /><br />Port Canaveral - We were more than 2 hours late arriving into port and since we had to go to Immigration before we could do anything else it was a busy, crazy morning. It was especially irritating since we were supposed to report to Immigration at 7AM so everyone was up bright and early and by the time we docked everyone was getting a bit cranky. However, there was 1 bright spot - the space shuttle was due to launch at 11:41 so a lot of folks (us included) cancelled their planned trips to have a great view of the launch from our deck. That plan worked until 11:20 when the launch was cancelled.....that was just the way our luck was running. We spent the remainder of the day enjoying the ship and the sunshine. We did think it was quite strange that we were escorted from the port by several large tugs though - a sign of things to come.   <br /><br />Back at sea the next morning the Captain came on the PA to announce that we were not late getting into Canaveral due to headwinds as previously reported but because we were having rudder problems. He scheduled a Q &amp; A session for that afternoon and ask for one rep from each family to attend. One he assured us we were in no danger whatsoever everyone relaxed. They opened the phone lines for people who needed to change flights, call rides, etc. and also opened the internet for free. He explained we would be fine but it would be very slow going and once we hit Chesapeake Bay the CG was insisting we have tugs escort us up the bay - changing our 8 hour trip to over 12hours since tugs can&#39;t go more than 10 knotts. The ship took on a real party atmosphere for the rest of the trip with only a few gripes about missed flights, etc. The biggest problem seemed to be we were due in September 10th and a lot of folks refused to fly on September 11th. The line worked with them as best they could. We were also told we could keep our luggage til 9:30 AM on Sunday and stay in our cabins til Noon.  <br /><br />Around midnight on Saturday we anchored at the mouth of the Bay and divers went down to inspect the damage and do temp repairs. This was quite a show until about 3AM when we were again underway. We finally docked at 3PM - 8 hours late. The first colors call to disembark was our (thankfully) at 3:50 and we had our luggage, cleared customs and were in our car at 4PM. Very quick and painless.  <br /><br />All in all it was a terrific cruise despite the weather and I think RC and Captain Rob did everything in their power to keep us comfortable and happy. I would sail on the Grandeur again without hesitation.',1171229917,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',488,'cruisetarp',1,106,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(119,156,'10/8/06','This trip I would take again in a minute.  Thank you Royal Carribean for a trip to remember&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;','When I first signed up on Cruisecrazies I was hoping to find some reviews about the Grandeur. There was only one- now 2, so now that I am back from my Cruise I thought I&#39;d share with you want I experienced.   <br /><br /><br />I live in Baltimore, but had not taken advantage of leaving from here for a cruise. I booked this cruise - thinking of my parents - who are older and realizing that air ports and such can be very confusing. So here goes:  <br /><br />I live in Owings mills- about 30 minutes from the port- we left home at 11:00 and got to the Port around 11:30. We were directed to the luggage drop off point and then proceeded to park at the port.( &#036;10.00 a day- reasonable and good parking). I had our set sail passes and our drivers licenses, and birth certificates for check in. Went trough the security check points easily( I walk with 2 canes, so it could have been a lot of trouble). Went directly to the check in window where the Royal Carribean agent checked our papers. This was so fast and easy, no long wait and was having our welcome aboard picture taken and on board by 12:15. As our room was not yet ready - we proceeded to Deck 9 - The Windjammer cafe and found ourselves a table. The food was hot, pleantiful and good.( My Dad is a picky eater and even he was happy). The waiters came around and asked if you wanted a cocktail, and I had a pina colada. ( Very strong). After filling our stomachs- we went to find our room. We were on Deck 8 room 8500 the Royal Suite. What a room&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33; our luggage had been delivered so we brought it in and began to unpack. The suite is stupendious. There is a dining area complete with a marble topped table, a bar area, and living room complete with a baby Grand piano. The bedroom , with the King size bed and a bathroom big enough for an army.. WOW&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33; We had a dozen red rosed on the piano, a bottle of Champage, and a plate of cheese waiting for us.  After packing we had the drill. Mandatory- it was conducted with ease and we were done and underway to Bermuda within a half hour. We atrted to encounter some rough waters right away. At dinner that night- we found that our table did not have room for us, so we were reseated on the main level at a table for 3. We had a very good witer , Alfredo and his assistant was Cyrus. It took Cyrus a little while to get to know us but by Thursday he had our drinks and everything else down to a science. And the there was Gerard. He was the Cocktail Guy- he and I got along great. The first night he brought around little after dinner loving cups of Baily&#39;s and we were friends after that. <br /><br />The Great Gatsby&#39;s food every night was very good- good selection and very well seasoned. Something for everyone no matter how pickey.( And yes there is a formal night- on the 5 day it is Monday night- and there is a Lobster served on Thursday on the seafood plater).  All of our dinners were eaten in the Gatsby, our breakfast was at the Windjammer or room service. At the windjammer the eggs, bascon, salmon, rolls everything was very well stocked and good to eat. There was ceral, juice, and anything you would want to eat.  The shows were alright.... the dancers and singers seemed a little green yet... some tried to out do others, but on the whole the shows were good. They also had a comedian that was really funny, and a very good juggler( not what I would pay to see but it was there) and a Magician- who just didn&#39;t pack a punch if you know what I mean. The Teater was beautiful - and the advantage of the little sofa&#39;s in the back were great for those of us who are not a size 10. <br /><br />Did not go to many of the lounges- my parents cannot drink, but did spend some time in the Casino. Gave them a good share of money, won a little lost more. That was a good time thought and everyone there seemed to be having a good time.  Before meals most people gathered in the Centrum lobby- goes up 8 floors and is all glass. The music was wonderful and people were on the floor dancing. It was really nice. <br /><br />King&#39;s Warf is not the hustling bustling city like Hamilton, but it was similar to the Annapolis Harbour and for me and my family that was fine. The boat arranged for shuttle buses to and from the boat to the ferry line ( the walk was about a mile and a half). Most people were out on tours or excursion. We took a carriage ride with a guide named Crystal. It was very nice and we saw some of the Warf area. On Wednesday we took the Trolly ride and the Guide went into the history of Bermuda and was very informative. He dropped us at the shopping malland we spent some time looking at items and buying some gifts. A few feet away from the mall was the bus and back to the boat. <br /><br />We set sail for Baltimore at 4pm, and although it was a little cloudy - it was not like Monday with the rough seas.  Fiday was our last day on the Gradeur- it was spent looking at different are&#39;s on the ship, taking pictures and buying pictyres taken on board.( Lots of photographers- lots of picture- and they don&#39;t pressure you to have them taken or to buy them)  Our last nights dinner was very good and we gave our servers their tips, and hoped to see them again on another cruise.   <br /><br />Wewere in the Port of Baltimore by 7am, and left our room( had to be out by 8am) and sat in the Palladium Theater until they called our tag colour. We then proceeded to find our luggage, and a porter to take us to our car. Passed through cutoms and were in our car and on the way home by 9:30.  <br /><br />This trip I would take again in a minute. The Embarcation and Debarcation was very easy( especially for someone who walks with canes), and all of the staff on board and on land could not do enough to help you. Thank you Royal Carribean for a trip to remember&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;',1171229960,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',2680,'JoAnne1254',1,158,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(120,152,'12/4/04','Jewel of the Seas review 12/04/04-12/12/04   <br /><br />This was our first cruise. so neither one of us really new what to expect. Neither one of us have ever flown before either.','We had a pre-cruise for one day. Our flight left LaGuardia airport at 7:50am on Friday 12/03/04. We hired a limo to take us to the airport about 80 miles from our house. It arrived at 3:30am. We got to he airport about 5:45am. We were absolutely clueless as to what we were to do. Not to worry, the airport people are very well trained with newbies like us. We did curbside check in and said goodbye to our luggage. We then went to find our spot at the airport. They had us seated two seats apart, so we had them change that so we were together. Finally they started calling us to board. It was a packed flight and it was tight. Not knowing if we would get airsick or not I was prepared. Not to worry. Our flight was fairly smooth, with some slight turbulence. Got to Florida at about 10:45am. Claimed our luggage and went to look for our transport. We booked everything thru RCI being new at this. The took us to our Hotel. The Embassy Suites. Wow It was great. After dropping off our luggage we went to eat and explore Fort Lauderdale. It was fun. We were on the 12 floor so we had a great view. From the balcony on the otherside of the Hotel we could see the ships all docked. We even seen the Jewel the next morning. Time tocheck out and get transport to the docks.   <br /><br />Embarkation: Again not knowing what to expect I think it went rather well. We got to the port about 12:30 and were thru everything by 1:30. We went to the Windjammer Cafe for lunch. We did not get our luggage till about 8pm. So we spent time exploring the ship.     <br /><br />Cabin Stewart: We had only one Virginia. She was effcient , but not overly friendly. We tipped her daily. I gave her the reqired amount, but upped it a little after a couple of days, because I wasn&#39;t getting my towel animals and was disappointed. That night I recived a rabbitt, and got one each night after .   <br /><br />Food: Was fantastic. Everything was great. we ate most of our meals in the windjammer. We had chosen the early seating, not good. We just couldn&#39;t get back from excursions and what not in time to get ready for dinner at 6. Next time it will be late seating.   <br /><br /><br />Ports of call: Puerto Rico we did the El Yunique rainforest. We had a delay getting off the ship due to a medical Emergency. We got started about 45 mins late. They drove us what seemed like the slums. It was very run down and poverty stricken. We finally made it to the rainforest, the observation tower was closed already, so we went on further. The waterfalls were nice. all in al;l it was disappointing, we saw no wildlife at all and it started getting dark because of the delay. Back at the ship we bought my son his requested bottle of Puerto Rican Rum.    <br />St Martin&#39;s: It is 83 degrees and beautiful. We have a tour around the island and a catamaran cruise. The Island is very nice . We stopped for some shopping.   <br /><br />St John&#39;s Antiguqa; We had a wonderful tour guide, We learned alot about the Island. Of course we did some shopping.   <br /><br />St Thomas: our favorite Island. It was just beautiful. We have two excursions planned. A panaramic tour in the morning. The Island is so beautiful and in the afternoon snorkling from the catamaran &quot;The Castaway Girl&quot; I chickened out on snorkling but DH went. This was our first time . I really like being out on the Catamaran. I should have went snorkling.   <br /><br />Bahamas: We hated this stop most of all. It was raining so we could not go shopping in the morning. @0 mins later it stopped . we went out briefly but had to get back for glass bottom boat tour. We went down to the tour 15 mins early and they were gone. We aasked around and were told they left 5 mins earlier, we went up and down and could not find them, so we went back to ourroom and watched the boat go buy our balcony. Boy were we pissed. When Explorations opened for the evening we went to complain and we gotour money back. That made us happy.    <br /><br />Sea Days: We had two. They were filled with all kinds of things to do.   <br /><br />Entertainment: We thought was great. The magician and his wife were awesome and the juggling comedian, we laughed so hard when he fell of the stage and got up saying I&#39;m ok don&#39;t everyone get up to help. All the showes were great.   <br /><br />The Gym: What an awesome Gym. We spent 1 hour here every day from 6 am to 7 am. We did the bike and treadmill for 1/2 hour and then a 1/2 hour on the machines. Let me tell you it is possible to keep your weight in check. I actually lost 4 pounds&#33;&#33;&#33;   <br /><br />Pools&#39;s: Great we found no hogging of chairs. We had our pick anytime. We bought some snorkel equipment and DH taught me how to snorkel in the pool. I&#39;m now ready for the next cruise.   <br /><br />Debarkation: Went rather quick and smooth. We were taken to the airport and got our flight at 11:45 to La guardia. The Limo driver was waiting and we came home to reality.   <br /><br />We have our next cruise planned for Jan or Feb of 2006.',1171230014,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',935,'Iriscruiser',1,42,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(121,152,'10/12/05','We had a GREAT time. This cruise tied with our favorite past cruise (Explorer of the Seas). We have loved all of our cruises and for us there is no such thing as a bad cruise.','First I?ll rate the major categories as we viewed them, and then get to the day-to-day details. <br /><br /><br />Ship: A+ BEAUTIFUL&#33; ? 3 acres of glass. <br /><br />Food: B Good <br /><br />Chops: A++ Kristina, Oscar and the whole team are phenomenal - and the food is too<br /><br />Windjammer: B It is what it is ? a buffet. <br /><br />Seaview Caf?: A+ The fish &amp; chips come out looking like Mrs. Paul?s fish sticks but  believe me they are not&#33;&#33;&#33; I?ve never had such fresh fish, we had  them 3 times. <br /><br />Cruise Director  Karen Maybury: C We prefer CDs that are natural, not trying too hard. <br /><br />Bartenders: Champagne Bar ? Freddie, he remembers your name and  what you like to drink. Shanti &amp; Me-Hai (sp?) at the Schooner  Bar were a riot. <br /><br />Dining Room Waiters: C Our waiter wasn?t that good. He didn?t even ask any of us what our  names were. When we asked what he suggested his response was  ?it?s all good?. On the nights he wasn?t busy he was good. He did tell  us that when he goes back to get our dinners if they aren?t ALL ready  he has to go deliver a room service order, then come back to deliver  our meals to the table. <br /><br />Entertainment: A Lee Reed ? Piano Melodies ? GREAT piano player, very shy. <br />A Caribbean Force ? Poolside band <br /><br />A Rosario Strings - wonderful <br /><br />B Vortex Disco ? DJ would play the same 10 songs until you came up  with requests <br /><br />C Piano Bar ? Barry from Boston ? Plays the piano well, screams  instead of singing. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Day 1      Wednesday      October 12, 2005      Departing Boston      Cool drizzle 55? <br /><br />We arrived at the Black Falcon Pier at 11:05 a.m. Checked in with our Sea Pass, got our picture taken for our Sea Pass card, walked through Security. I even turned to the security guard and asked him if it was ok for us to board. He said ?hurry and I won?t tell anyone?. I laughed, turned red and walked right on the Jewel of the Seas by @11:15 a.m. The fastest boarding we?ve ever had. It was fantastic not having to take a plane the first day of our cruise. We found our room (8598) dropped off our carry-on then off to explore the ship. She is beautiful, same class as the Brilliance. Luggage arrived @ 1:15 (WOW&#33;). Attended the mandatory life boat drill at 4:30, our Muster station was at the Schooner Bar. Thankfully, our Muster station wasn?t required to go outside. We went back to our room to change for dinner, we had early and for some unknown reason our dinner times were 5:30 and 7:45 instead of the norm of 6:30 &amp; 8:30. I had met our tablemates on-line at www.cruisecritic.com, we decided to link our dining reservation so we could sit at the same table. Even though we hadn?t met face to face it was nice to sit with people we felt we already knew. After dinner we went to the Welcome Aboard Show and then to the Schooner Bar. We met a lot of nice people and the bartenders Shanti and Me-Hei (sp?) were great, they worked very well together. <br /><br />Day 2     Thursday     October 13, 2005      At Sea WOW&#33;&#33;&#33; <br /><br />We woke up to VERY rough seas. As my husband was shaving all he said was uh-oh. So we went to the purser?s desk for Dramamine and they gave us each a green apple. They explained that we needed to put something in our stomach with not a lot of moisture. We went back to sleep for a few hours and woke up feeling fine. I only took 2 pictures of the waves. Security had locked the doors to the outside decks and hung signs not to go out because it was too dangerous. We figured about 95% of the ship were in their cabins. We went to the Windjammer for lunch, there were only a few people eating lunch. It was quite a challenge to get our lunch and get to a chair before the ship would dip and your plate would land on the floor. Tonight was Captain?s night. We went to the Captain?s cocktail party then to dinner; there were a lot of empty tables. Marty Allen and his wife were real troopers they put on a great show considering how rocky the ocean was. We then went to the Schooner bar for the piano bar entertainment. <br /><br />Day 3      Friday      October 14, 2005      King?s Wharf, Bermuda      82? <br /><br />Arrived at the Navy Dock Yard at 12 Noon (instead of 8:00 a.m.), first people off the ship was at 1:30 p.m. We bought the 2-day transportation pass. Hopped on the ferry to Hamilton, walked up one side of Front Street and down the other, took the ferry back to the ship in time for dinner at 5:30. After dinner we went to the Frog &amp; Onion Pub for a drink, it was too quiet there so we went back to the Schooner bar and listed to a young man Lee Read (looked about 15 yrs. Old ? very cute&#33;) play the piano ? he was fantastic&#33; He played the piano vs. beating it. We didn?t go to the show Dima Belinski but we heard he was great. <br /><br />Day 4      Saturday      October 15, 2005      King?s Wharf, Bermuda      82? <br /><br />11th Wedding Anniversary. Had breakfast at the Windjammer ? WOW where did all these people come from&#33; Glad everybody was feeling better. We decided to just go off the ship and take a taxi tour. We went on a 3-hour island tour. Bermuda is beautiful; too bad our taxi driver didn?t have much of a personality. We came back to the ship had lunch went to the pool for a little while. We had reservations at Chops for our anniversary so we went back to the room and noticed we weren?t moving yet. The ship was waiting for 3 people (young girl, Mom and Grandma) Grandma couldn?t walk that fast so one of the Bermudians on the dock to watch the ship depart got in his car &amp; picked her up and drove her back to the ship. We all applauded from our balconies. We went to the Champagne Bar before dinner, Freddie was great. Chops was perfect as usual. Oscar and his whole team were fantastic. They brought out an anniversary cake and everybody sang to us. It was wonderful. We were so stuffed we gave our cake to the bar staff at the Schooner Bar (Shanti, Eva and Me-Hai). We missed the show but we heard it was great, it was the Royal Caribbean Singers &amp; Dancers ?West End to Broadway?. We hit the disco until 2:30 a.m. <br /><br />Day 5      Sunday      October 16, 2005      At Sea      85? <br /><br />We sat by the pool all day. MrSully entered the Blackjack tournament, he lasted 3 hands, he was dealt a 14, 15 and a 16. Attended The Quest ? what a hoot&#33; <br /><br />Day 6      Monday      October 17, 2005      St. Maartin      85? <br /><br />St. Maartin ? Our favorite&#33; Took a cab to Orient Bay Beach, walked to the clothing optional section, got 2 chairs at the Tiki-Hut. The waves were awesome, bigger than the last time we were here. Unfortunately, with the waves/storms come the seaweed and the turtle eggs. I could only go in the water twice, the third time I just couldn?t get past the seaweed YUK&#33; As our chairs were coming into the shade we started to get bitten so we left. Not really sure what bit us but my legs had a lot of red bumps. Back to the ship in time for another dinner at Chops. After dinner we went to the Champagne Bar and chatted with Freddie. Freddie is great, he remembers your name and order from the first time he meets you, he would even have it ready for you when you sat down. <br /><br />Day 7      Tuesday      October 18, 2005      San Juan      85? <br /><br />San Juan has improved over the last 5 years. We walked around, went shopping, and bought a couple of t-shirts and a silver bracelet for our daughter. We were back on the ship by 10:30 a.m. We sat by the pool the rest of the day, loved those drinks in the fresh pineapple YUM. As we were leaving we had a few showers and the Explorer of the Seas pulled into the berth next to us. We loved that ship too. <br /><br />Day 8      Wednesday      October 19, 2005      Labadee      97? <br /><br />We have been to Labadee a few times, so we decided to stay on the ship. Good Choice&#33; 97? people said it felt like 120 on the island. We sat by the pool. Due to the short stay at Labadee they had the BBQ on the pool deck from 1:00 ? 3:00 instead of on the island. They started setting up at 9:30 a.m. and about 1:15 the grills were lit. They set up several stations to get food which would have been very organized except you had to go to one station for your plate and utensils, another station for ribs, another station for chicken, another for burger and hot dogs and yet another station for side dishes. So by the time you sat down everything was cold. None of the stations were labeled so it was very chaotic. The ribs were awesome, we tried to go back for more but the line was too long. We went to the show ?Tango Buenos Aires? it was good, we left after 20 minutes. We stopped by the Champagne Bar to see Freddie, Schooner Bar, then to the Vortex Disco until 2:30 a.m. <br /><br />Day 9      Thursday      October 20, 2005      At Sea      88? <br /><br />We sat by the pool for a couple of hours; decided we wanted to see what else was going on around the ship, puttered around the ship. We went back to the pool just in time to see the horse races. The owners race was won by #1 Johnny Damon. Played mini-golf, worked out in the gym. Tonight?s show was Paul Boland ?Man of 1,000 Voices?; he was very good, very funny. Being 70?s disco night, we chose to stay at the Champagne Bar until we went to the disco around midnight. Neither one of us wanted to hear the ?Tribute to ABBA? or the ?Village People?, we had enough of that the first time around. Closed the disco at 4:00 a.m. <br /><br />Day 10      Friday      October 21, 2005      At Sea      60? <br /><br />The daily planner stated the temperature would be about 60?, with the wind chill it was more like 40?. We knew it would be a chilly day so we puttered around the ship, bought 3 photos, played Jackpot Bingo ? didn?t win L, went to trivia. We had dinner at Chops for the last night. Went to the Schooner Bar for a couple of drinks, said good-bye to the people we met. Declined going to the disco ? too much to do tomorrow. <br /><br />Day 11      Saturday      October 22, 2005      Debarkation, Boston      60? <br /><br />We chose to carry our luggage off the ship ourselves. Finished packing, went to the Windjammer for breakfast, called the pursers desk to find out what deck we should be on, they said we debark from Deck 5. It took a ? hour to get an elevator that we could get on, got to Deck 5, waited ? hour and we were off and waiting for our ride by 8:15, home by 9:15 a.m.  <br /><br />We had a GREAT time. This cruise tied with our favorite past cruise (Explorer of the Seas). We have loved all of our cruises and for us there is no such thing as a bad cruise. We thoroughly enjoy our vacations; life is what you make of it and how you choose to react to certain situations, especially situations you have no control over.',1171230062,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',694,'mrssully',1,99,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(158,74,'2-21-04','All in all, a great trip, outstanding food, wonderfully friendly and helpful staff','My wife and I were excited to receive an offer from HAL for past cruisers to sail aboard Maasdam from Norfolk and receive an outside cabin assignment for the price of an inside?an no airfare necessary, as we live 8 miles from the pier. This was our 17th cruise and second on HAL. <br /><br />The ship is probably not the right one for the trip. They need a faster ship to cover the transit time, on time. The first four sailing from Norfolk have returned 4, 3, 5, and 2.5 hours later respectively than the scheduled 8am arrival. The long sail from St Thomas, the last port, to Norfolk, at 19.5 knots just cannot be done in time if any little ripple in the seas or wind occurs, and it usually does. As a result the ship does not leave until, typically 7 or 8pm when departure is scheduled for 5pm. In fact, no one can get aboard until, typically, 3pm, and many several hours later. Knowing the variability of arrival, we monitored it via a local webcam at <a href=\"http://www.wvec.com/cams/norfolk.html\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.wvec.com/cams/norfolk.html</a>. It did not arrive until 1pm on Feb 21. <br /><br />There were shuttle buses from a parking area available, or porters at the curb for those arriving by car. The terminal, at Norfolk?s maritime museum, Nauticus, adjacent to the battleship Wisconsin, does a good job of handling inbound and outbound passengers despite the fact that it is not really a cruise ship terminal. Once we entered Nauticus our cabin assignment was checked and we were assigned a boarding number. We arrived at 3:15pm and received number 34. We were then given free admission to the museum, and HAL had sodas available. It was very interesting touring the museum and the battleship and made the time pass quickly. Perhaps not so for those who had arrived at the pier at noon. At 5, (4 hours after arrival), the suite passengers and the first boarding numbers were called for embarkation processing. It only took about two hours for them to board all the passengers, a remarkable feat. No credit card was necessary at check-in, as they provided a form and simply asked that we present it at the purser?s office within 24 hours with the credit card information. I had been informed by phone that my cabin guarantee was an upgrade from Cat H to Cat E cabin 728. In fact, we found out at check-in that our cabin was 782, and the bags had the wrong cabin on them. We were very happy to find that in the 3 ? hours between the time we dropped them off and the time we got to our cabin, they had corrected the bag tags and all luggage was in the cabin. Nicely done&#33; The lifeboat drill was delayed until 10:15am on the first day at sea due to the later boarding. <br /><br />The cabin was on A deck, the lowest passenger deck, exactly amidships on the port side, and overlooked the pier. At 182 sq ft, it was ample, with convertible twin beds, a room desk/dressing table, with 8 large drawers, a sofa bed, adjustable height coffee table...perfect for room service?and a hassock. There were four closets, and the bath had a full tub. The only amenities were shampoo and lotion, other than soap. The TV carries no local TV in any port other than CNN, but does have nearly first run movies running on two channels, TNT movies, and some series like ER. There are the usual port information and cruise video channels, and the ship channel that alternated between maps of the voyage, weather, and ship?s information and deck plans. Room service is available 24/7, but with a limited menu at night. <br /><br />I had preordered, by phone call to HAL customer service in Seattle, a liter of Beefeater?s which came with an obligatory 3 cans of tonic water. It was not there on arrival, but was delivered the next morning and there were very willing to exchange the tonic for some soft drinks my wife preferred. We also packed a case of wine in a wine shipping box, and checked it in with baggage. It arrived fine. Those attempting to carry hard liquor on board had it confiscated at the pier. Most had gotten the word of this recent change in HAL policy. All liquor purchased in the onboard shop and in all ports was gathered at the gangway and stored till the last afternoon when it was delivered to the cabin. We asked the cabin steward to keep one bottle of champagne iced and to provide a second bucked ice daily. He not only quickly accommodated us, but also provided two champagne glasses. <br /><br /><br />Since we had requested second sitting, fortunately since we didn?t get aboard till a little after 7pm, I checked the diagram outside the dining room on deck 8 and found that our table was for two, as requested, table 139. I can say, without hesitation, that this probably the best dining team we have ever had. The headwaiter was present constantly, the waiter was very efficient, and the assistant waiter outdid them all. If we wanted to try a second entr?e, they brought just the meat or fish without the side dishes. On lobster night, we requested two tails and the plates arrived with two tails on them, and the waiter later walked around offering more from a platter. <br />Every night among the dessert choices was a flamb?, which included bananas foster, crepe suzette, pear flamb?, baked Alaska with cherries jubilee on top, and so on. Entrees included such items as halibut, grilled prawns, rack of lamb, filet mignon twice, crab legs, chateaubriand, orange roughy, lamb chops, Dutch recipes on Dutch night, lobster tails, cod, salmon, and prime rib. On the night we left St. Maarten, they also held a BBQ at the Lido Pool with steaks and king salmon from 6-8pm and offered happy hour prices on select beer and shots. <br /><br />Breakfast in the Lido includes the usual mix of fruits, cereals and cafeteria hot table, but also includes eggs to order and an omelet station. Staff were eager to assist with trays and help with beverages. In a few days we noticed some even called us by name. Lunch in the Lido has standard cafeteria fare, but included such items as a stir-fry station on several days, pizza, and a sandwich station for made to order sandwiches. By the Lido Pool is a station open from 11-5pm offering hot dogs, hamburgers, grilled chicken breast, and a hot table with tacos, burritos and fajita fixings. Breakfast and lunch in the dining room is only on the upper level, on deck 8. The dining room offers eggs benedict every day I was happy to discover. Casual dinner is also available in the Lido. As you may surmise from this summary, we were very pleased with the food on the Maasdam, with one exception. <br /><br />On &quot;Dutch Night&quot; we opted for a reservation in the Pinnacle Grill, the featured specialty restaurant, with a &#036;20 per person surcharge (&#036;10 on sailing day). We had a reservation for 8:30pm and arrived a few minutes early. Forty minutes after we were seated they finally took our order. By then the wine steward, who had held the wine tasting the first day at sea, had opened the wine I had brought to dinner and helped himself to a large glass without asking instead of the tasting cup. Butter arrived 20 minutes after the bread. While water from a pitcher was adequate in the regular dining room, the Pinnacle poured bottled water, at extra charge, without asking. An hour and 20 minutes later, still only on the second course, I tried to order another bottle of wine. They were out of 15 wines. I went back to the cabin and brought another of my own. The presentation was fine and the food was good, but no better than the dining room food. There were huge time gaps between courses, and they tried to explain it away that every order was prepared from scratch to order and takes time. The restaurant was less than half full by that time and that excuse doesn?t fly. Gracefully, they said they wouldn?t charge the corkage fee for my wine because of the slow service. <br /><br />We enjoy dancing before dinner and after shows. The Ocean Bar on Deck 8 each evening had a trio playing traditional dance music, and before dinner hot appetizers were brought to each table. The Crows Nest on Deck 11 had a solo musician who played danceable music until about midnight, when the DJ took over, playing until ?? It was not very crowded at any hour. Show entertainment was a weakest link. The singers, dancers, costumes, and production were far inferior to almost every other ship we have sailed. Fortunately there were only three production shows in 10 days. Other nights offered singers (Gail Nelson with Broadway experience, and Bill Burns a very talented impressionist and singer), comedians and variety artists, and an Indonesian crew talent show. Every evening there were two shows, one after each dinner seating, except on the last night both shows were before dinner. <br /><br />I was happy to find that HAL was not aggressive in pushing the daily tropical drinks. They were more visible on a few days, but nothing like we have experienced on other lines. The deck waiters circulated with iced tea or lemonade daily in the afternoon, and high tea is available. <br /><br />Dress code was as follows:<br />Day 1 Casual<br />Day 2 At Sea, First Formal night, and it was widely observed<br />Day 3 After Half Moon Cay, Casual<br />Day 4 At Sea, Second Formal night<br />Day 5 San Juan, Casual<br />Day 6 St Maartin, Casual<br />Day 7 Antigua, Casual<br />Day 8 St Thomas, Informal (coat and tie/cocktail dress)<br />Day 9 At Sea, 3rd Formal Night<br />Day 10 At Sea, Casual <br /><br />The photographers were available for portraits on formal nights and there were essentially no lines, amazingly. On the first formal night, the Captain?s Welcome Aboard Dinner, they had a receiving line leading into the pre-dinner reception, and there were two portrait stations everyone passed through, and one snapshot with the Captain. They did offer a free cruise video if you purchased four 8x10 pictures during the cruise, and we took advantage of it, as we could see from the video which was run each day on TV that we were also in some of the shots. The video was a &#036;34 value. <br /><br />Port Days: Half Moon Cay. We arrived about 1 hour later than scheduled due to the late departure from Norfolk. The first tenders left at 1245. At 1:45 we went down for tender tickets. At 3pm we got on a tender. We returned on the last tender at 5:30. The process was so slow that the Rotterdam lent several tenders to help shuttle passengers. A strictly personal observation was that a more elderly passenger make up made for slower movement into and out of tenders. As usual we enjoyed the beach and snorkeling (I bring my own gear), and there were many more fish where the floats met the breakwater than I had ever seen there. The water is so clear you can see fish in thigh-deep water without a mask. They even nipped at my wife?s knees, so I suspect they have been fed there. <br /><br />The sea day between these two ports was Fat Tuesday, and the dinner show was Party Gras. Advertised as a Mardi Gras from Bangkok to Calgary to Brazil, it turned out to be their standard show. However, at 11pm in the Crow?s Nest they held a costume Mardi Gras Party with Hurricanes at happy hour prices. Having chanced they would have some celebration we brought masks about 20 sets of beads and two umbrellas. My wife Karen won the ?Miss Mardi Gras? for original costume: Her formal beads, feathered mask, and an open parasol. She won a bottle of champagne, and I received a silver 8x10 picture frame just for participating. Lots of fun, with dancing snacks afterward. Best crowd of the cruise in the disco. <br /><br />San Juan.<br />We arrived at 7:30am on Ash Wednesday, and US Immigration held mandatory immigration checks beginning at 7:30. Lines moved quickly. The ship was cleared about 9:30am. We went back to bed for nap and left the ship at 11:40. We took the free trolley bus from the stop across the street from the pier. We rode past El Morro, which we had visited on other trips and rode into Old San Juan to a stop near the old Cathedral. We were in time for noon Mass and distribution of ashes. We then walked to Hard Rock Caf?, only to find it closed for street construction. We found there was now a Senor Frog?s in San Juan, behind the Windham Hotel a block from the pier, and we walked there to enjoy lunch, stand on a few chairs, and have the usual raucous time there. We walked from there to the Dept of Information building on the waterfront and partook of the free Puerto Rican rum drinks, and then walked back to the ship. Underway at 6pm. <br /><br />St Maarten/Martin.<br />We arrived in one of our favorite ports at 7am and the ship was cleared at 8am. We went ashore at 9pm, rented a car at the end of the pier with no reservation, a Toyota Camry with a/c for &#036;45 all day. Due back by 5:45pm. We drove past the airport to see Maho Beach where the planes pass very low overhead, past Simpson Beach and a very resorty area, and found Cupacoy Beach. The beach is down a stairway along sandstone cliffs, with sandy beach. It is, however, clothing optional despite being on the Dutch side, just short of the boundary from the French side. Water was affected by wind, but the snorkeling was good. Chairs and umbrellas are available for rent, and drinks available from a vender at the top of the cliff. We left in time for lunch and drove into Marigot, the capital of French St. Martin. As we have been here on Sundays before, when everything was closed, we were looking forward to lunch in a French sidewalk caf? and some shopping. We parked in the free public lot, and ate at La Vie en Rose, complete with french bread and wine. However, French St. Martin is using the Euro, which is currently &#036;1.25US to 1 Euro, and things are expensive. They don?t make much effort to cater to tourist trade. There is a flea market across the street and we purchased T-shirts for the kids there. Then on to Grand Case beach, where I had previously seen many large starfish last year. The beach is deserted and sandy, but without facilities except in the waterfront restaurants. Unfortunately, only one starfish this time. Then we drove on to Orient Beach and spent an hour there before heading back at 5pm to Philipsburg. We returned the car at 5:40pm and asked them to shuttle us back into town, which they did. Shops were on the verge of closing, despite the fact that Maasdam and the Radisson ship were in port till 11pm. Some folks went back out to casino?s after dinner. We did catch the Guavaberry Emporium in time, and on the main shopping street purchases our liquor for several dollars per bottle below the prices aboard Maasdam in the duty free shop. Cigarettes were also &#036;1 per carton cheaper there. Fortunately for me our favorite jewelry shops were closed. <br /><br /><br />Antigua.<br />Arrived at 7am. We had purchased tickets to the Catamaran Sail and Snorkel Excursion and reported to the Rembrandt Lounge at 8:40. We left at 9am, and walked a short distance to the Tamiami Catamaran, which made about a 30 minute run to Paradise Reef in deep water. Water entry was from the boat into deep water, so this is an excursion for experience snorkelers. There reef coral and the fish were impressive. After about 45 minutes of snorkeling, we reboarded and set sail for Runaway Beach where they anchored in 10 feet of water and some chose to swim to the beach. My wife does snorkel but the bar was opened and never-ending strong and tasty rum punch was available, as well as soft drinks and other liquors. After about 30 minutes we left and returned to the pier at 1230pm. There is a duty free mall at the end of the pier in St John?s. While me wife napped I did succumb to the lure of a nice ruby, which they mounted as a pendant on gold chain at a jewelry shop for my wife?s birthday present. We sailed at 6pm. <br />St Thomas.<br />Arrived at 7am, berthed at the pier at Havensight, and Immigration checks again at 7:30am. We were permitted to leave the ship as soon as we individually had been cleared. We were on the pier at 8:20 and on the way in a taxi, &#036;16 for two, to Red Hook. We caught the 9am ferry, &#036;3 per person each way, to Cruz Bay on St John?s. The ride takes only 13 minutes. We took a taxi, &#036;4 per person, from the pier to Trunk Bay, National Park (&#036;4 per person admittance), arriving about 9:35. No crowds yet. There is in underwater snorkeling trail marked leading to an island where there was plenty of coral and plenty of fish. I really enjoyed it. The park also has lockers, showers, restrooms, and concessions, including equipment rental. We caught a taxi at 11:30 back to Cruz Bay and took the noon ferry back to St Thomas. We arrived back at the Havensight mall a little after 12:30 and had plenty of time to shop before returning to the ship by 2pm. The ship sails at 3pm for the long trip home. Two ladies, arriving late, after lines were cast off, reportedly were fined about &#036;3,000. There was a sailaway party on deck, the only one of the cruise. The cruise director didn?t think the passengers would be interested. We would have been. It was in the 80?s and HOT. In fact, we had no rain the entire cruise in any port. <br /><br />By the next morning a weather front 1,000 miles wide had intervened along our route while East of Cuba. By mid day 12-15 foot waves, with some swells to 25 feet and 32 knots of wind from the north caused the ship to plow along, banging head on into the waves. The water in the pools was leaping out and the pools were closed. It was still in the 70?s and partly sunny. The Mariners Society repeaters reception was held at noon in the Rembrandt Lounge in the bow of the ship, and it was all people could do to walk up to receive recognition and a photo. Many of the people recognized for many cruises on HAL were elderly and having a rough time moving around. It was a relaxed day, however, and great movies were running in the theatre and on TV, such as Seabicuit, Under the Tuscan Sun, and others. I enjoyed Intolerable Cruelty, too. Dancing that evening was a bit tricky due to the motion of the ocean. <br /><br />By the morning of the last day at sea, the weather had calmed, the water was like glass as we passed the Carolinas, and weather was still in the upper 60?s and partly sunny. By the last day the ship was out of wines, bagels, lemons and limes. Luggage did not have to be out until 1am. We celebrated my wife?s birthday at dinner. <br /><br />We were scheduled to arrive at 8am, but the captain had announced the day before that we?d be in about 10:30, which was right on target. This allowed a leisurely wakeup call, and breakfast at 9am. Weather was 60 and cloudy with a forecast of increasing wind. At 1045 the first customs call was made. We were permitted to remain in our cabins until debarkation. The first debarkation group was not called until noon, and we were called about 2:40pm, in the last group because we lived locally and were driving. While no lunch had been planned, without announcement they opened the Lido about 1pm and dredged up prime rib and salads, much to me excitement&#33; <br /><br />All in all, a great trip, outstanding food, wonderfully friendly and helpful staff, a low key cruise director who was as genuine in person as he was when he was ?on?, and we are booked for the next one, an 11 day Maasdam in December. There is talk that they may consider replacing Maasdam with a faster ship by then. I hope they don?t shorten the St. Thomas stop, as it is just long enough to do anything meaningful.',1171828693,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]hal.gif',131,'JohnG',1,84,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(122,152,'4/8/06','We would definitely sail on the Jewel again but are looking forward to trying out the Freedom of the Seas in the future.','We had such an easy time getting on board, we hopped off the bus then were wisked right on board.  <br /><br /><br />The ship is BEAUTIFUL, easy to find your way around and VERY friendly staff.  <br /><br />We were assigned a TERRIBLE table in the dining room, we were surprised they gave us that table after sailing with RCCL so many times, but we got it all straightened out, ended up sitting at a table for 12 and really enjoyed it. We did eat at Chops one night and Portofino&#39;s two nights. The waiter in Portofion&#39;s was EXCELLENT.  <br /><br />We really enjoyed Marty Allen and his wife one night for our entertainment.   <br /><br />Our cabin was nice except looking right out at the lifeboat cover, but at least we had a balcony to go out on and enjoy the tropical breeze. We were on deck seven. Our room steward was great he really kept our room in tip top shape, also, gave us the famous towel animals at night.   <br /><br />We would definitely sail on the Jewel again but are looking forward to trying out the Freedom of the Seas in the future.',1171230099,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',57,'Cruise Queen 50',1,94,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(123,157,'12/18/03','Even though we were away fro 15 days, I could have stayed for more. This was a wonderful vacation that was probably the best I have ever been on.','We arrived in Oahu after 12 hours of flying (luckily we had a short layover in Dallas), but it was only around 5 PM in Hawaii, so too early to go sleep. We just managed to get a quick bite and then a small walk around the shopping area and beach in Waikiki. It is a very busy place with lots to do. The next day we slept late then did our souvenir shopping to get it out of the way and visited the lovely beaches. The plan was to parasail but the winds were very high so we skipped that this week as every day the surf and winds were high. We also decided to send our Christmas cards from Hawaii, and went in search of Hawaiian types, then we met our friends for dinner and drove around a little after dinner. We ate dinner at the Aloha Towers and watched a few ships sail away. Santa was also there and he greeted all of us. <br /><br />The next day was out big outing, we hiked up Diamond Head, what a walk. But we managed to survive and nothing hurt afterwards (what a surprise). The view is spectacular, well worth the effort. If you have a hard time, you can go slow, but there are points when it extremely steep. Anyone afraid of heights should think twice&#33; Then we drove to the other side of the island and had lunch at the Crouching Lion Inn and bought some lovely prints in the gallery. The next morning we sent out the Christmas cards and sent the gifts home by priority mail to save luggage space. We did some more driving around and saw the pipeline and all sorts of interesting sights. Then we ate lunch in small shop and went off the Hilo Hatties when of course I have to buy a little something for myself. We had dinner in the Ko Olina. We also had drinks at the famous pink Hotel, quite a lavish old style hotel. <br /><br />The next day we did the Arizona memorial drove up to Pali. And around some more to see different sights like the blowhole and various beaches. In the evening we went to the Luau at paradise cove. That was lots of fun as they had a number of exhibits, games and crafting workshops before the dinner. We made bracelets and headwreaths adorned with flowers the dinner was proceeded by the royal court parade and the digging up of the pig. The food was excellent, but I decided that the poi tasted like wallpaper paste after a taste. <br /><br />The last day we drove to the pier but when we saw the long line decide to go off and come back later. We went to the Dole plantation, and then back to eat at the crouching Lion. When we got back there was no line so we walked right onto the ship. But if we had arrived 10 minutes later we would have missed the muster. Not that we really minded, but the rental car was still sitting out on the pier and had to be brought back. but one of the porters had watched it for us. <br /><br />I was happily surprised when we got on the ship. After doing the Radiance and the Adventure I was sure this would look old by comparison. But I was very wrong, the ship was lovely and airy and a very pleasant place to spend the next 10 days. The ship is very well laid out and very easy to navigate. In a few hours I could find anything on the ship quite easily. <br /><br />The ship was decorated so beautiful for the holidays, the cenrtrum was awash with garlands and lights and festive decorations with the centerpiece being a village made out of gingerbread; it was very welcoming. After the first dinner which was very good, I watched as the ship pulled out of port, a wonderful sight. <br /><br />The first stop was Maui and we rented a car and we traveled all over the island taking in as many sights as possible. We drove to the North side of the island where rental cars a re not supposed to go and carefully eked our way along the steep and narrow single lane roads which were precariously perched in the cliffs. Maui is a very lush island and a very beautiful island. We also went into a lovely valley with a rock formation that looked like Kennedy, and then on to the falls where we hiked around a little bit. Then we headed back to the ship. We were dressed in shorts and hiking things so I wanted to eat in the Windjammer, but the men in the group wanted to eat in the dining room because they only had open seating that night due to the overnight stay. I am still annoyed, because I do not feel comfortable dining in a restaurant dressed like that. Some people may find that relaxing, but I am uncomfortable feeling like an unwashed slob, but that is my personal preference. I was not dirty per se, but would have preferred to take a shower and dress decently, but the dining room was closing at 8:30. I will never be talked into that again&#33; <br /><br />The next day we drove up to Mount Hileakala. This was a breathtaking ride up into the clouds. The crater looked like something from a moon landing and was big enough to put Manhattan inside of it. The height was literally breath taking as it took a few moments for your lungs to get used to the thinner air. We drove around and explored as many roads as we possibly could and even found a section called Christmas Lane where very house was lavishly decorated for the holidays. When we returned to port, we walked around had a late lunch a Bubba Gump&#39;s Shrimp Factory, a very pleasant eating experience. We did a little more browsing in the shops and then back to the ship. <br /><br /><br />Then the next Island was Kauai. The first thing we did after getting our rental car was to go on a helicopter flight thru the canyons. It was a 60 minute flight and every minute was exciting. We took pictures and videos and very sight was more beautiful than the last. We did some driving and ate dinner at a plantation and walked on a few beaches before heading back to the ship for the first formal night. Our next stop was Kona where we went on a waterfall hike up in the mountains on the North side. The ledges were quite narrow but the hike was very exhilarating and afterwards we were treated to lunch on the beach. The waves were extraordinarily high this week and the winds whipped up some amazing surf. Our friend Jim had befriended some of the crew and the had done some fishing and came back to the ship with a 40 pound Ono. They also had sightings of whales that just rolled over and sun bathed and turtles and porpoises galore. Ordinarily you cannot bring your catch onboard but since the head of the restaurant services (who does the food buying for the ship along with cooking) was with them they brought it onboard cooked it for us and served it to us in the Windjammer along with fine china, tablecloths, candles and wine. Because the staff members are rarely invited to go on such outings, they were really grateful and treated us like Kings and Queens all week. We made some lifelong friends. <br />On Hilo we did the Valley of the Kings excursion, and while it was very nice, I think I would have preferred to go up to the volcano. We were taken by van down into a step valley where the natives lived and toured real homes and tarot farms. <br /><br />Our next four sea days were very relaxing, but the most fun was had when we entered and won the Quest&#33; This game is not to be missed. During the sea days it was quite cool and windy so rock climbing and mini golf were out of the question. We did manage to get to some of the midnight buffets on the pool deck. We did however skip the midnight buffet as we have seen many of them before and were not hungry. there was so much to do inside the ship on sea days, you could not be bored. Santa arrived to give the kiddies gifts and we also received a very nice gift, a large duffel type piece of luggage on wheels and a tote/cosmetics bag. We were happily surprised there were a number of Holiday shows and a religious observations that were quite lovely. They also had a caroling session. All of the entertainment was very good, I am not sure we saw any that we did not like. <br /><br />The trip back from Ensenda to San Diego was quick and uneventful, but one piece of our luggage was put on the wrong green bus and we had to go to one of the other terminals to retrieve it. But since we had a few hours to kill, it just gave us something to do. Coming home the flight was smooth and fast, but as we flew into JFK, I was feeling sad that the trip was over. Even though we were away fro 15 days, I could have stayed for more. This was a wonderful vacation that was probably the best I have ever been on.',1171230151,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',27,'Bridabunny',1,41,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(124,157,'9/5/04','We feel that The Legend of the Seas was a fine ?West Coast? cruise experience and we give it a 8.4 on a scale of 10.','Ports of Call: Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta..  <br /> <br />This was our 11th cruise with Royal Caribbean. Our 42nd cruise overall.  <br /><br /><br />This was our first time aboard the Legend of the Seas. Our first sailing on RCI since December 3, 2000.when we sailed aboard the Rhapsody of the Seas. The Legend of the Seas is a medium/large ship at 69,130 tons, but not huge when compared to today&#39;s mega-ships. Although she is now nine years old the ship is overall in very good shape. Here are our impressions:   <br /><br />Embarking/Disembarking  <br />Check in was the great for Diamond Members; however we did see fairly long lines for others. All lines were moving quickly. We arrived in our car following a six hour drive from Las Vegas at 1:15PM. There were plenty of porters on hand to unload our luggage from the car trunk. We then drove to a nearby parking lot and left our car. Returned to the terminal with our hand luggage and moved very quickly through check-in, security and photo taking and were aboard ship quite quickly. Total time from the parking lot to the ship we were on board the ship about 15 minutes. For those parking in San Diego ? Lots charge by the ?calendar? day, so you end up paying for eight days for a one week cruise, a total of &#036;96. They do accept credit cards.  <br /><br />Disembarking was a breeze. We disembarked and were loaded in our car by 9:05AM.. Because of our Diamond membership, we were in Brown Group #2, which was called shortly after we enjoyed breakfast in Dining Room. As mentioned earlier we were in our car by 9:05AM, loaded and ready to hit the road back to Las Vegas.  <br /><br />Stateroom <br />We had an ocean view stateroom #2564 on deck 2. The room was clean and well kept. The stateroom steward did a fine job. Stateroom was about 138 square feet and has enough storage space for clothes for 7 days. All of our suitcases fit under the bed for storage. We actually had a couple unused drawers&#33; All cabins have a sitting area and beds that covert to double configuration. We used the double configuration and there was not much space left around the bed. Showers were quite small. Only things provided in the bathroom was soap and a combination shampoo and conditioner in a wall mounted dispenser. We felt the stateroom was very nicely decorated with great colors and very nice artwork, better than most ships.  <br /><br />Food  <br />The two-deck-high dining room has dramatic glass side wall so most passengers both upstairs and downstairs can see both the ocean and each other in reflection.. The Legend features only one dining room with two seatings. We were seated at Table #24 (Main Seating) which is an oval table for ten but we had only eight people assigned during this sailing. This table and many more like it were crammed between two serving stations which made it difficult for the waiters and asst. waiters to move around the ends of the table. The noise level both upstairs and downstairs was high and conversation was somewhat difficult. Food is also available in the Windjammer Cafe &amp; The Grill, in the Solarium. We ate all evening meals, in the dining room. The quality and variety of food was excellent. The beef dishes were all very good. The lobster was excellent. Overall, the food was excellent. Desserts and breads to me, were great. We ate most breakfasts &amp; lunches in either the Windjammer Cafe or the Grill. Breakfast was very good, especially the omelet bar (which is located outside the Windjammer on the pool deck). Lunch was generally quite nice with sandwiches, as well as a fine selection of other buffet items including made-to-order pasta daily, , the hot dogs &amp; burgers from the Grill were also very good. My only negative comment is that the multiple serving lines which RCI uses on most of their ships seems to cause congestion. I am also no fond of the large oval plastic plates used in place of a tray and smaller dishes. Missed the china used on Celebrity.   <br /><br />Shows  <br />There were the usual mix of musical revues and guest entertainers. We enjoy musical production shows and the tw0 presented during the trip were excellent. The guest entertainers were all quite good.. They also had the usual audience participation shows (newlywed game, karaoke, etc). The theater had good sight lines and the seats were comfortable. Seats tended to fill up early.  <br /><br />Entertainment  <br />The Cruise Director, John Blair, and his staff (which includes his wife, Katrina) worked really hard and were very friendly &amp; pleasant. The ship?s orchestra was outstanding. Their music was sensational, and they could play anything from country to rock to Caribbean. The casino was quite large. However traffic to and from the theater was forced to walk through very tight isles which became single-file lines in some spots and created real bottlenecks.   <br /><br /><br />Other  <br />The pool areas were great especially the Solarium area. The exercise room was more than seemed to be adequate for the amount of use it got. The ship featured a very nice Internet Caf? while never seemed crowded This probably had something to do with the .50 per minute charge&#33; The gift shops were well stocked and stayed open generally past 10 pm. The photographers were around the ship but never intrusive. Announcements over the ships intercom were kept at a minimum.   <br />We enjoyed Lunch with the Captain on the last day at sea. This was a very special event for Diamond Members of the Captain?s Club. I was seated next to Captain Hakan Lindegren and we had most enjoyable and informative conversation.  <br /><br />Ports of Call <br />Since we have visited most of these ports of call we took no shore excursions. As most of you know Cabo is a tender only port. The ship docked at the other two ports of call. We simply wandered around on our own shopping and enjoying the sights and of course taking digital photos.  <br /><br />Captain?s Club <br />The Diamond Member perks for those who have cruised at least 10 times with Princess are quite nice, but not quite up to Princess yet. Along with all the ?normal? perks they include robes, two free photos (any size), two free drinks in souvenir glasses, 40 minutes of free internet time, and some match play coupons for the Casino Royale.  <br /><br />Passengers <br />There were a LOT of young children on this sailing. Mostly pre-schoolers including many tiny, young babies. The demographics of the passengers on this sailing were quite different than on our other RCI cruises. More like a Carnival Cruise. This was probably an effect of the very low pricing used to assure a full ship. These demographics were not a problem for us, simply a bit of a surprise. More tattoos, naval rings, spiked hair and motorcycle tee shirts than I have ever seen on a cruise ship.  <br /><br />Overall  <br />We feel that The Legend of the Seas was a fine ?West Coast? cruise experience and we give it a 8.4 on a scale of 10.',1171230208,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',920,'The Skipper',1,58,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(125,161,'11/5/04','I really enjoyed the Majesty and RCCL - I realize it was a three day cruise but our service with the exception of one bartender, was excellent.','A little background first. This was my 11th cruise and my first on Royal Caribbean. My friends and I booked this cruise as a &quot;Chicks&quot; getaway for a long weekend. Though I had a great time, I really don&#39;t think I will do a 4 day or shorter cruise again - they are just way too short&#33;  <br /><br />Thursday 11/4/04 - was supposed to fly from Milwaukee to Miami on ATA with a change of plane in Chicago (Midway.) Supposed to arrive in Miami about 5:00pm and join my friend Jennifer at the Holiday Inn Downtown/Bayside and go eat some Cuban food and drink some mojitos at the Latin American Club at Bayside. The rest of our group was meeting up in Fort Lauderdale that evening and driving to Miami the next morning.  <br /><br />Well, the best laid plans of cruisers sometimes go awry. Due to equipment failure, my flight was delayed departing Milwaukee by over an hour.....in fact we were sitting on the runway for take off when I should have been boarding my connecting flight at Midway. Needless to say I missed my connection at Midway - as we were pulling up to deplane, my connecting flight was pulling away from the gate. Got into the terminal and found that there was no way for me to get to Miami that day at all from Midway. Best they could do was to get me to Fort Lauderdale - arriving well after 11:00pm that night. So much for cuban food and mojitos. The airline provided my a voucher for food during my long wait at Midway (gee a whole &#036;7 - bought me a carton of milk and small order of chicken mcnuggets at the Mickey D&#39;s stand........) and were willing to provide transport to me from FLL to Miami that night. I guess I really wasn&#39;t too thrilled about having to get from FLL to the airport in Miami in the middle of the night. I ended up calling one of my friends who was staying in FLL that night and I was able to snag a room at the some hotel they were at and I would ride down to Miami with them the next morning. I have always been a proponent of flying in the day before a cruise. There are times for me when it has been impossible to do so, but after this experience, I will do my utmost to arrive a day ahead of time.   <br /><br />Anyway on to the flight - this plane was one of the few that ATA has that has business class on it - they were selling upgrades for &#036;40 - needless to say I grabbed one of those seats ASAP. They were wonderful - wide leather seats, adjustable headrests, footrests...........it would have been a wonderful flight if not for the drunk, sky-high woman in the seat ahead of me. I have never encountered such a problem person flying before&#33; During takeoff, her CD&#39;s went flying into our row and she unbuckled herself and tried to crawl over the seats to retrieve them. When allowed to, she put her headphones on and started to yell along with they lyrics - have no clue who she was listening to but every other word out of her mouth was &quot;f&#036;#k&quot; and &quot;s*#t&quot;. She kept this up through the whole flight....except for the time she went into the bathroom and was in there for more than 20 minutes - came out smelling like she had smoked a couple of joints. And then there was the time she wanted some light, so instead of reaching up and turning on her reading light, she decided to use her lighter&#33; I have never seen 10 people move in unison like the rest of us in business class did, putting on our call buttons at the same time. Needless to say when we landed in FLL, security came on board and this woman was taken off and eventually arrested.   <br /><br />Got to the hotel and met up with my friends - and the big surprise came. This was supposed to be a Chicks Cruise - well our friend John and his significant other decided to surprise the girls and join us on the cruise.   <br /><br />11/5/04 - started out sunny and warm - a beautiful day. Drove down to Miami and arrived at the port about 10:30am. Got our luggage out and parked the cars. Waited outside for the last of our group Jennifer to arrive from her Miami hotel. At this point, she is the only one who doesn&#39;t know that our friend John decided to surprise us. She gets out of the taxi and he comes up behind her and asks if she needs any help - she turns around, gapes for a minute and starts laughing and cursing him at the same time. We go inside the terminal and get into our lines for check in.....Two of the group are Diamond members so they go to their special lounge for check in and boarding. Then proceed to the line to wait to get onboard. Once that line starts moving it was not bad.............until one of the machines they use to take your picture to imbed the image on your sign and sail card started acting up. It took 10 minutes to take one picture on that machine.....the other one was churning them out. We were in two lines - on for each machine - and of course we were in line for the machine that didn&#39;t work. We tried to suggest to the crew that maybe they could alternate lines for the one machine until they got the one machine fixed......they did not seem to grasp the concept. Finally got onboard about 12:30 - much of the time spent standing in line because of the one non-working machine. They evidently could not get the machine fixed as they gave up trying to get it to work - later RCCL decided to just have everyone take their sign and sail card AND a photo id to get on and off the ship.  <br /><br /><br />First impression of the Majesty was one of casual elegance. No neon....lots of brass and wood and glass. Jennifer and I went to find our room - 9552 - a superior ocean view. Very nicely laid out with a sitting area, two beds, a vanity and a mini fridge. Bathroom was small and functional.....shower had a hand held shower head that was wonderful - good water pressure and the hot water stayed hot and the cool water stayed cool. Headed up to the Windjammer - had no clue that half was open air and half was enclosed. I felt the buffet set up was confusing......I guess I am just used to the set up on Princess. The food was good - some really nice meat and pasta dishes.....breads and rolls and desserts were excellent. Pizza (didn&#39;t find this til the last full day) was very very good&#33; I wish the location was easier to find and that the pizza was offered more than just 2 hours a day. Our group got together for sailaway....we had a wine and cheese party on a secluded small balcony just outside the On Your Toes lounge. By this time the skies had clouded up and it was raining off and on. This was to be a theme throughout the next 36 hours. Met up in the Viking Crown Lounge for pre-dinner drinks.......a really nice lounge with great service....but who&#39;s brilliant idea to put the Rock Climbing wall behind the Viking Crown Lounge? It totally disrupted the 360 view....who wants to see a gray slab over the ocean and skies? After this headed down to the Maytime Dining Room on Deck 3......we were at table 180. Our waitress was Derya from Turkey, her assistant was Alma from the Phillipines. I have been on 11 cruises and they were the best wait team I have ever had (and I&#39;ve had many excellent ones&#33;) They worked together seamlessly, water glasses were always filled, bread was constantly offered.....they kept the pace even and clued into our mood (we were there to have fun and enjoy the food) and got caught up in the spirit of our table. Derya&#39;s recommendations were spot on&#33;   <br />Now, I have heard a lot of grumbling on the boards about how the quality of food on RCCL in general has declined. Being this was my first RCCL cruise, I was only able to compare the food to my Princess, Carnival and Celebrity cruises. I put the quality of the food on this particular RCCL ship as being on par with Princess. Meats were tender and prepared to order. Rolls and desserts were wonderful. Soups were delicious - I really love Princess&#39; French Onion Soup and RCCL&#39;s was just a tad better seasoned, but could have used just a little more cheese on the top. I wonder if it was just the chef on this particular ship, but the food was really very good.  <br /><br />Headed off to bed that night with dreams of hitting Coco Cay the next day.  <br /><br />11/6/04 - woke to clouds and rain.....and it stayed that way all day. The Captain did decide to stop at Coco Cay....why, I don&#39;t know since most of the day was a washout. Had a hot stone massage and a facial today........oh my goodness, that massage was heaven&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33; Have to get one regularly here at home&#33; Did our usual predinner drinks in the Viking Crown Lounge and then on to dinner. This was the formal night and dinner was absolutely delicious.....beef tenderloin, french onion soup, salad, rolls, etc. Can&#39;t remember the dessert but they were all delicious.  <br /><br />11/7/04 - sunny and gorgeous in Nassau. Being Sunday the shops were only open from 9 - 2. Three of us decided to do the Blackbeards Cay beach and snorkel break. After going to Stingray City in Grand Cayman, the sting ray part of this excursion was disappointing. The sting rays are in a fenced in area - there are only about 13 of them and they have been debarbed. The rest of the time we just relaxed on the island in the water and shade and then headed back to the docks on our tender. Arrived back at the dock, one went shopping and Pat and I headed back to the ship. They have these golf carts that will take you from the shopping area to the ship for free (just tip the driver.) Well, getting onto the back of the court, I whacked my head on the edge of the covering. Needless to say I was a little stunned....got a nice goose egg and a light bruise, but didn&#39;t break the skin and didn&#39;t suffer a concussion. Went back to the room to rest a little and start the packing process.........then went down and got a pedicure. Back to the room to get ready for the last dinner. Precruise drinks again at our favorite place and then down to dinner. We all wanted to take Derya and Alma back with us. Dinner was very good again....tears all around when we said goodby to them. Went back to the cabin, finished the packing, set the suitcase out and then headed up to the disco for a little while.  <br /><br />11/8/04. Debarkation day........this is where RCCL needs some improvement. We went to breakfast in the dining room at 7:00am. Sat down to a leisurely breakfast thinking there was no way the ship would be cleared before 8:00 as they were still pulling up and tying to the dock when we headed to the dining room. We made plans after breakfast to meet up on deck 4 near my friends&#39; cabin to say goodbye....well we got out of the dining room to chaos.....a long line starting on deck four going all the way up to deck 5.....seems they started calling colors to debark while we were eating breakfast. Just a word of warning......RCCL does not make debarkation announcements in the dining room............we had early debarkation tags and totally missed it. The crew in charge of debarkation were rude....would not answer questions and were dismissive. Our group got seperated and there was no way to find each other in this mess, so we all went our own ways..........did hook up via cell phone later that morning. Once, I did get off the ship, it was going through Immigration check, down to claim your luggage and then through customs........then out to the ground transportation area. Grabbed a taxi to go to the Miami airport. &#036;21 plus tip for the trip from the pier to airport. Checked in at Delta........and got pulled out a security for the full inspection and works. Just my day, I guess&#33; Made it through without getting thown in jail for anything. Flights on the way home were uneventful and arrived at my house about 8:00 that night - totally exhauseted but glad I made the trip to catch up with my friends.  <br /><br />I really enjoyed the Majesty and RCCL - I realize it was a three day cruise but our service with the exception of one bartender, was excellent. I will be on the Enchantment of the Seas next fall after she has been stretched and refurbished....can&#39;t wait to compare the two ships. Before that it is back to Princess and the new Diamond Princess in April.',1171230258,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',333,'sailinglisa',1,40,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(126,161,'10/10/05','I loved the ship even though a few RCI veterans did not think she was up to RCI standards. Yes, if you looked hard enough you could see a few signs a of wear and a couple of stains on the carpet. However, overall the ship seemed to be maintained in tip to','Arrived at Port of Miami about 12:30 took about 20 minutes to board ship with Set Sail Pass. Stateroom 4509 was ready and lunch was being served.  <br /><br /><br />Meals: Food in the Mikado dining room was Superb. Both Breakfast &amp; Dinners were top notch the Beef Filet (Formal Night) &amp; Lamb shank (Italian night) were not to be missed. However the buffets in the Windjammer caf? were nothing special the food was not hot and many entries were cold. This was the fault of not having any way to keep the food warm, if you did get it when a new tray was brought out it was OK otherwise the food was soon cold. Ice cream (24hrs) and Pizza were great and no charge.   <br /><br />Bars: In my opinion the cocktails were good &amp; priced fairly.  <br /><br />Entertainment: The Beat Goes On &amp; Boogie Wonderland were excellent though The Beat goes on was better but this is only my opinion. The Farewell comedy show staring Steve Carte &amp; Phil Tag had everyone laughing so hard I was crying&#33;&#33;  <br /><br />Room: Had inside cabin 4509 while I don?t usually book an inside I felt it would do for a short trip with no sea days. The beds worked much better (no wasted cabin space) as twins then pushed together. The TV worked better than any other ship I have been on even though there was no time to watch it. No safe in the room was a definite drawback; RCI should immediately install safes in all rooms.  <br /><br />Ports of Call: Nassau, we took bus #10 (&#036;1pp) to Ardastra Gardens (&#036;12pp) to see the marching Flamingos. It was wonderful and I highly recommend this zoo especially if you have children. Cococay, a great beach day with RCI provided lunch. Again the food was not hot but there were many serving stations &amp; plenty of tables. The snorkeling was very good except for the Moon Jellyfish (they don?t sting badly but I am allergic to them) in the water. Key West: Arrived about 8:30 but ship was not cleared until about 11:00. Every passenger had to parade past one of the four Immigration officers with I.D?s (Passport or Birth certificate with picture ID. I don?t know why they do this it seems like a tremendous waste of resources, I am sure they could catch more illegal?s anyplace on Route 1 in Florida.  <br /><br />Ship: I loved the ship even though a few RCI veterans did not think she was up to RCI standards. Yes, if you looked hard enough you could see a few signs a of wear and a couple of stains on the carpet. However, overall the ship seemed to be maintained in tip top shape. Someone must come out in the middle of the night to polish all the brass because it was always polished and I never saw anyone polishing. The crew seemed happy and all were willing to help you have a good time...  <br /><br />Disembarkation: Luggage had to be out at midnight the day before. Breakfast was served in the Maytime Dining Room (sit-down) and Windjammer caf? from 6:30 to 9:00. You had to vacate your room by 8:00 and wait in your designated public room until called. I got off the ship about 9:30. It went very quickly due to the ship clearing Immigration in Key West. You claimed your luggage at an airport style luggage carousel walked past and handed in your Customs declaration, and I started to think about my next cruise.',1171230332,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',1559,'jtutak',1,139,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(127,161,'7/7/06','I?m very glad that we decided to try RC. There were a few features of this ship that we enjoyed. However, we do feel that you get much more for the money with Carnival.','The purpose of my review is not just to tell you about our cruise aboard the Majesty of the Seas , an RC ship , but to compare this ship to the Carnival Fascination. These two ships are approximately the same size and since we cruised the Fascination on June 2nd and the Majesty on July 7th, I want to compare many of the features that are still fresh in my mind. In all fairness to RC, I have to first say that we have sailed with Carnival 25 or so times , several of them aboard the Fascination. This was our very first RC cruise, so of course we noticed so many differences that we wouldn?t have noticed , had we not cruised the Fascination so many times. <br /><br /><br />I can?t tell you how many people have told us , over the years, that RC is a step above Carnival in all areas. Well , we arrived at the port and couldn?t believe how the inside of the terminal was more like the inside of an airport, very bright and cheerful , as opposed to the warehouse style of the Carnival terminal. So, we started off on a very positive note. Embarkation was very smooth , just like on Carnival . When we got to the lobby, we were told that the cabins would not be ready till 1:00, which was about a 20 minute wait. We?ve never had to wait like that on Carnival . We always went directly to our cabin. This was not a big deal, though, so we hung out in the lobby , since we didn?t feel like shlepping our carry -ons to the Windjammer. <br /><br />The Cabin<br />We opened the door to our cabin and were very shocked at the size. We book interior cabins on the Fascination, so here we are expecting something similar.This was much smaller. Anyway, since we spend very little time in the cabin, we would handle this fine. There was not even half the amount of storage space as on the Fascination. There was no designated place for the life vests and they took up space in the cabin. A very weird thing- the safe in the closet was a few inches off the floor. Can you picture a man Wayne?s height, getting down on the floor to open and close the safe? Anyway, the safe didn?t work and we had to call the technician, who came very quickly. Again, not a big deal. <br /><br />The Food and Windjammer Cafe<br />The Windjammer Caf? was much more cheeful than the Lido on Fascination.. A huge difference between the ships is that on the Majesty , the eating area overlooks the water, on Fascination, the Lido is interior. Of course, on the Fascination, you can eat outside on the deck or by the ship railings but the restaurant itself is more inside on the Fascination. I was totally amazed when the staff offered to carry our dishes to the table for us. That was a nice touch. The staff poured your water, ice tea or lemondae for you and had many filled glasses already sitting there. All in all, the service was far superior on RC. As far as drinks, there was no fruit punch as there is on Carnival, but we don?t drink punch anyway, but I?m just comparing. The dessert table was very impressive- staff there to serve you rather than taking it yourself, as on Carnival. There were more dessert choices here .There was only 1 midnight buffet here as opposed to all three nights on the Fascination. In fact, late at night, you could only get water, coffee or tea and the water glasses were these really cheap disposable cups. The ice-cream machine was turned off after a certain time. On Carnival, punch and lemonade are always available , along with ice cream and pizza 24 hours .On RC, the pizza bar closes at 2 AM. The pizza on Carnival is far superior to that on RC.On Carnival, you can also get Caesar salad 24 hours a day at the pizza bar. Another thing that did bother us was , after returning from Coco Cay, we wanted to get some lemonade and sit in the air conditioned Windjammer. However, at this time of day, about 3:00, it?s locked because they prepare it for dinner. So, a/c was not to be had at that time. On the Fascination, the inside air conditioned area of the Lido is open 24 hours a day so even if you just need to get out of the heat, you can sit there. There was a midnight buffet on Saturday night on the pool deck. That was very enjoyable. The food was great, the best meal of the weekend, and there was music. <br /><br />So here we are, on the first night. After dancing in the &quot;On Your Toes&quot; Disco, the main dance club onboard the ship, we had worked up quite an apetite. Earlier in the day, we had seen the advertisement for the &quot;Midnight Delights&quot; in the daily caper. Expecting a midnight buffet as we have become accustomed to on Carnival, we were looking forward to a late night snack. We proceeded to leave the disco and go search for the midnight delights. As we were making our way to the exit, a crew member walked past us holding a cocktail tray (in the dark, we couldn&#39;t tell what was on it). Joking around I said to Wayne, &quot;Hey there&#39;s the midnight buffet&#33;,&quot; but Wayne replied &quot;yea right, let&#39;s go find the delights.&quot; So as we left the disco, we asked a staff member where the midnight delights were being served. To our surprise, he replied, &quot;You just walked past it,&quot; pointing to the staff member holding the tray. We laughed, and we thought he was kidding...But as it turned out, he was very serious. <br /><br />After we got over the initial shock, we asked where we could get a snack. We were told &quot;If you&#39;d like anything besides pizza, you need to go to your cabin and order room service.&quot; I can&#39;t tell you how many times we asked for something, and were told over and over again...&quot;Go to your cabin and call room service.&quot; If we had gone to our cabin every time we were told to over the course of the weekend, we would never have made it out to see the light of day. <br /><br />The Dining Room<br />On formal night, Saturday night, we went to the dining room. Since they didn?t serve lobster the first night, as they do on Carnival, I assumed they would have it the second night.. I was disappointed to find out they don?t serve lobster at all on the 3 night cruise. The service was fantastic. However, the salmon was dry and not very appetizing. We actually enjoyed the food more at the Windjammer the night before so we decided to eat at the Windjammer again for the last night. <br /><br />The Pool Deck<br />The pool deck was very different from Fascination. What I liked , was that there were shallow areas in the pool where you could wade .On Fascination, the whole pool is deep , so you?re either in or out. This setup looked much more inviting. The deck was carpeted, which was very differnt than Fascination?s wood deck. Later, after it rained, the carpet was soggy and stayed that way for the whole cruise. The nice part about this deck was that there was so much shade for those of us who stay out of the sun. On the other hand, the chairs were practically packed in like sardines, practically touching each other and walking down the aisles, you had to be careful not to bang into someone?s feet hanging over the chair. At least, there were so many chairs, you?d never have to worry about getting one any time of the day.What I liked was the deck was lit up and you could sit out there , read, talk, whatever at night. On the Fascination, the lounge chairs are removed at night and the deck is not as well lit up. There are just tables and chairs on the deck at night on the Fascination. A great feature of this pool deck was that every other window was open so there was always a nice breeze. On the Fascination, there are only a couple of windows on each side of the ship that open so it?s much hotter . On this ship, you didn?t have to sign out the towels, you just took what you needed. <br /><br />Entertainment<br />The first night?s show was a comedian- just OK. On the Fascination, you see 2 Las Vegas type shows in the 3 nights. We found out there would only be 1 of these type shows , and on the last night. So , the show the first night was only a comedian, 2nd night was a juggler, which we didn?t bother to see and the last night was the big one. Well, I can?t tell you how disappointed Wayne, Jason and I were. The stage was half the size of the stage on the Fascination, so there were half the number of dancers. The show had no pyrotechnics and had absolutely no props. On the Fascination, both shows are so amazing, one with a car on the stage, a carousel,a revolving stage, etc. all kinds of amazing things.The costumes on the Fascination are incredible, they have costume changes every few minutes. This show was only dancing, a dance or two for each Latin dance - tango, mambo, etc. Good dancers, but not what I would consider a good show, more like watching Dancing with the Stars, minus the stars. <br /><br />The Teen Hang-out<br />The teen room was great on the ship. They had a real room to themselves with a dance floor, tvs and lots of other stuff, much nicer than the makeshift room on the Fascination in back of the casino. Also, what amazed me , and was fine with me, was the 1:00 AM curfew for all kids under 18, if not with parents. Great idea&#33;&#33;&#33; Carnival needs to copy this. <br /><br />The Spa<br />The spa was a huge disappointment, with many fewer exercise machines, maybe half as many. There was no jacuzzi in the spa like there is on Fascination, which Wayne really enjoys. There were just a handful of lockers, looked like they were bought in K-Mart , very makeshift, as opposed to the entire wall of lockers on Fascination. There was one toilet on the men?s side and one on the women?s, as opposed to several on each side on the Fascination. What I liked was they did have recumbent bikes, which is what I use at home. On the Fascination, , they don?t have them .Also, the gym was opened till 10 Pm, much later than on Carnival. <br /><br />One great feature of the ship was that it had a really nice jogging/walking track that was protected from the elements. Located on deck 7, the jogging track was extremely wide and was covered by the lifeboats above. Because of this, it was shaded and you did not have to worry about the gusts of wind that you have to deal with when you use the jogging track on the Fascination. Spanning the entire deck 7 from the bow to stern, it was a nice place to do your daily walking and/or jogging. <br /><br />Disco<br />The disco was great- The volume was perfect and you didn?t need earplugs like you do on Carnival. In fact, the disco was packed with people , many our age. On Carnival, we can?t even go in the disco, it?s too loud, and there are neve r people in our age category there dancing. So, this was a nice change of pace. We had a great time and loved the ?Village People? performance by the staff. <br /><br />Shore Excursions<br />Coco Cay was a nice change of pace. We enjoyed the day but the food, the ribs and the hot dogs were cold and didn?t taste very fresh. The last tender was at 4:30 but at 2:15, all the food was removed and you could only get some water after that. What really bothered us was that on Sunday, we went to Nassau, but half the shops were closed on Sunday. We had decided to go to the Pirate Museum and walked there in the heat to find out that on Sunday it closes at 1:00. We had just missed it. I feel that RC should have let us know about this. Only the straw market and a few souvenir shops were open so we decided to take horse and buggy rides, Wayne and I in one and the kids in another , following us. That was fun and the driver gave us a guided tour which was very interesting. My question is - why wouldn?t RC do Coco Cay on Sunday and Nassau on Saturday when everything is open? Doesn?t make sense to me. <br /><br />Debarkation<br />This was so smooth. We did the early self assist and were able to disembark at 7:15. We were off the ship in minutes. We did, though, have to drag our stuff down 2 flights of stairs, as this ship had very slow elevators that you waited forever for. <br /><br />Conclusion<br />I?m very glad that we decided to try RC. There were a few features of this ship that we enjoyed. However, we do feel that you get much more for the money with Carnival. We will , though, try other RC ships in the future but we don?t feel that the Majesty, in any way, compares to the Fascination as far as the food or the entertainment.',1171230368,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',2,'GottaCruz',1,103,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(128,148,'6/20/04','All in all a wonderful cruise. We would go again tomorrow for sure.','We live about an hour from Port Canaveral so we left our house about 10:30 and were aboard the ship by noon. The check-in was very easy and we are Diamond Crown and Anchor members so we didn&#39;t have to wait in a line. The lines were still pretty short still anyway. Do not arrive at the port before 11:00 am. as you won&#39;t be allowed into the garage and will have to wait or circle around until then. Parking was very easy with the addition of the garage. <br /><br />This was our 25th cruise and our 18th with RCI and we weren&#39;t disappointed. RCI consistently puts out a good product and we all had a wonderful time. It was my husband, my daughter 17 and myself. <br /><br />The ship is lovely and well kept. We had the aft balcony 7688. It was huge. Spent more time on the balcony then usual because of the size. We had 3 lounge chairs a small table and 2 chairs. Could have easily fit more. It was however pretty shady so very little sunning this week for us which was perfect. Our cabin stewards were very good and they knew our names immediately and greeted us each day by name. <br /><br />Food: We were in the Rhapsody in Blue dining room late seating table 288. Our waiter Alex and assistant Budi were very good. Alex entertained us each night with tricks. We had 2 boys 10 and 12 at our table and they loved him. He was very eager to please and one of the sweetest waiters I&#39;ve ever had. The food has improved since our cruise 6 months ago on the Radiance. My only disappointment was the last evening?s menu. Usually it is Prime Rib but they had that the evening before when they also served Lobster and Shrimp. For dinner the last evening I had a huge plate of shrimp cocktail with RCI&#39;s mashed potato?s. Very good. They were eager to accommodate pretty much any request. Can&#39;t comment on the Windjammer as I don&#39;t usually eat in the buffets but my husband enjoyed it. My daughter and I ate lunch most days at the Cafe Promenade. They are open 24 hours a day and serve light meals. We really enjoyed the croissants with Ham and Cheese and I loved the baby shrimp sandwiches. Pizza, cookies, and other desserts are available from lunch time on. Great place to catch a quick bite. My daughter also enjoyed the frozen yogurt at Sprinkles every day. The coffee was usually pretty decent but some days were awful. Dining room coffee was very good. <br /><br />Bar: My favorite bar to hang out was Vintages, the wine bar located on the Royal Promenade. What a great group of winetenders&#33; We had a marvelous time all week and I enjoyed when they danced to &quot;I heard it through the Grape Vine.&quot; The pub was also lots of fun too with live entertainment each evening. <br /><br />Entertainment: The ice show was very good but I preferred the one on the Navigator more. The ice dancing is beautiful and it&#39;s amazing to watch the athletic abilities of the skaters. Don&#39;t miss it&#33; We didn&#39;t go to any of the production shows and only one of the comedians. We were lucky enough to have John Pinette with us. He was a laugh riot&#33; He has a website if you&#39;d like to check out some of his comedy. My DH who usually can tell you the punch lines before they were delivered could hardly stop laughing the entire time. Simply wonderful&#33; Don&#39;t miss the parades on the Royal Promenade but get there early or find a friend with an atrium cabin for easy viewing. <br /><br />The Crew: Captain Johnny was very personable and a lovely man. He was also pretty funny. Each day he gave us words of wisdom from his Chinese friend. Our cruise Director Becky Thomson was great. She used to be the social hostess on the Grandeur. She always said &quot;Hello Luv.&quot; The social hostess Tracy Lemon was exceptional. The concierge Yury was wonderful and eager to lend us a hand if we needed one. We found the crew tried very hard to please us at all times. There were a few exceptions but none of real note. <br /><br /><br />Adventure Ocean Ages 15-17: There were 500 teenagers aboard this week. My daughter met many new friends and enjoyed herself but the program seemed to be disorganized to her in comparison to our other cruises. The children were pretty well behaved this week. <br />Ports: We decided since we&#39;d been to Grand Cayman many times to skip the annoyance of tendering and enjoy the ship. I had a marvelous massage with hot stones while everyone else was in Grand Cayman. DH and my DD took a nap and just hung around. It was a very restful day. <br /><br />Ocho Rios Jamaica: We got off the ship early and headed to Island Village for some coffee to bring home. My DH stayed on the ship and my daughter and I took the River Rafting tour on the White River. It was excellent&#33; Well run. They even had a floating bar&#33;&#33;&#33; Perfect relaxing day. <br /><br />Cozumel: We decided since the day was so nice we would head over to Paradise Beach. (&#036;12.00 cab ride each direction for 4 passengers). We had heard about it on the internet so we decided to give it a try. It was wonderful. We met Tom (the owner) at the pier and told him we&#39;d see him there. They offered a water trampoline, rock wall, snorkeling, kayaks and floating mats all for free. They do ask that you purchase drinks and food which was no problem for us. I had a few XX&#39;s and we ordered the nachos. They were the best&#33;&#33;&#33; Could have eaten more easily. Give them a try. Met Tom at the beach also and told him how wonderful our day was there. A few other notes about PB. They have a place to change, shower the sand off and the restrooms are very clean. All together our day was around &#036;50.00 for 3 of us including the taxi. Shopped a little at the pier and headed to 1/2 Sr. Frogs. Tons of fun as usual. <br /><br />All in all a wonderful cruise. We would go again tomorrow for sure. <br /><br />If you have any questions please feel free to ask. Rose',1171230423,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',334,'sailingrose',1,58,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(129,148,'6/72/04','Entertainment......Excellent <br />Service...............Excellent (except for that head maitre&#39;d) <br />Cabin..................Excellent <br />Food....................Very Good <br />Overall.................EXCELLENT','This ship is beautiful&#33; We&#39;ve been on the Voyager and the Explorer and the Mariner is just as gorgeous. We had an aft balcony (7688) and the balcony was so huge&#33; We had 2 lounge chairs, 2 regular chairs, and a small round table. We spent alot of time on it, having room service, relaxing before dinner, before bedtime, etc. When you go aft, you&#39;ll never go back&#33; <br /><br />Embarkation and debarkation went more smoothly than we&#39;ve ever experienced. We had the beige color tags for debarkation because of a morning flight. There was no crowding at the exit and we were off in a flash. When I talked to some other family members who got off later, they also said it went very smoothly. <br /><br />The rooms weren&#39;t available until 1 pm as Studiowind said, and the Windjammer did indeed look like a feeding frenzy&#33; We made our spa appointments and checked on the table assignments early the first day. We did have a major problem with the tables (14 family members spread out in 4 tables, 2 levels&#33;). The head maitre&#39;d was quite rude and claimed that nothing could be done. We complained to the Purser and also called our TA. Being Sunday, our TA couldn&#39;t call RCCL but the Purser emailed them and it was all straightened out the next day. The customer service we received (except for that maitre&#39;d) was far and beyond exceptional. We even received 2 phone calls to make sure we were happy. Our waiters were good but we were spoiled by our waiters from our cruise on the Voyager. We even spent time on Labadee with them&#33; It just made it so much more personal, even though I think they stayed around because of my 2 beautiful twin nieces who were 21 at the time&#33; I digress.... <br /><br /><br />Cabin stewards Ruby and Benjamin were great. They knew our names very quickly, the rooms were always done up quickly, and they were very patient on the day my husband unfortunately had to take care of a customer that was completely down. He works on the computers that run feedmills, asphalt plants, etc. Thank goodness we had rented a satelite phone. It was only &#036;1.80 per minute instead of &#036;7.95 a minute through the ship. <br />We went to Chops on Caribbean night also. Excellent food but be prepared as it does take a very long time for the experience. We love the onion rings and milkshakes at Johnny Rockets&#33; We used our Crown &amp; Anchor coupons and even went a time or two more&#33; IMHO, the food quality has declined slightly but then again, I don&#39;t have to cook it or clean up so I was happy&#33; <br /><br />The comedians were great. The comedian/magician had all corny jokes but his delivery was superb. No big names that I recognized but all were excellent. <br /><br />Captain Johnny and Becky (Hello Luv) are wonderful&#33; Don&#39;t miss the Quest&#33; Karoke was great, especially since my cousin Veronica won the Best Overall. She even got offered a job onboard but it seems she likes Alaska too much&#33; <br /><br />Ports: I personally like the sea days better&#33; I&#39;m not into the shopping but I love the beaches. <br />St. Martin - the color of the water is stunning. Some nudity (women topless) where we were but not much. DH and DS went deep sea fishing and were very impressed with the boat. DS caught a huge fish - a wahoo? I booked it through Shoretrips.com. Would definitely recommend using them again. I booked horseback riding for myself and 2 other family members through them also. It was ok but it did not compare at all to the horseback ride in the ocean on Jamacia that we did on an earlier cruise. <br />St. Thomas - We took a taxi to Sapphire Beach Resort (the driver recommended it over Coki Beach) where DH and DS jet skiied while I relaxed on the beach (&#036;5 for a lounge chair). Nice relaxing day&#33; <br />Nassau - Took the water taxi to Paradise island to visit the Atlantis Hotel. Tip: Don&#39;t walk to the hotel - take a taxi to the hotel. It&#39;s further than you think&#33; Didn&#39;t get much time to see the Atlantis but what we did see was impressive. <br /><br />In conclusion:<br />Entertainment......Excellent <br />Service...............Excellent (except for that head maitre&#39;d) <br />Cabin..................Excellent <br />Food....................Very Good <br />Overall.................EXCELLENT <br /><br />Anyone going on the Mariner will love her&#33;',1171230458,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',1021,'chillhouse',1,45,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(130,148,'3/13/05','All in all, we had a great time, took fantastic digital photos that we will be able to enjoy forever, had a blast with our friends who were all there for the wedding and spent some great alone time together too.','Well, I have been back in Canada for almost a month now, but I have been so busy that I actually FORGOT to post a review. I was checking in with all of you every day before we left on our first cruise on March 13th, and now it seems I have a TONNE to catch up on&#33; <br /><br /><br />March 13th<br />We flew American Airlines from Toronto to Chicago and then on to Orlando on Sunday. All flights were on time and we were in Orlando by 1:00 p.m. The Royal Caribbean guides were standing near the luggage carrousels to greet us and show us the way to the bus that would take us to Port Canavral and Mariner of the Seas. We were on our way very quickly. I was impressed with the organization to this point. When we first got a glimpse of the ships in Port, we could hardly speak. I had never imagined anything so HUGE&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33; We boarded quickly and our paperwork was processed in about 3 minutes. Again, I was very impressed. <br /><br />We found our stateroom first, took a few photos and hung out on our balcony drinking cocktails until it was time for the lifeboat drill. This was the only negative part of the day. It was way too hot to stand for 20 minutes with a life jacket on, but I totally understand why they do it. After that, we found our way up to the very front of the ship while she pulled out of Port. As we went by an outdoor patio bar at the pier, the patrons at the bar began singing &quot;Love Boat&quot;....we were all laughing on board. Since our group was on the cruise for a friend&#39;s wedding, it was very appropriate. <br /><br />The ship was AMAZING. Everything was so clean and well organized. The meals were fantastic and the service made it all even better. We had late seating and all those involved in the wedding were sitting in the same area. We chose to eat in the dining room every night rather than pay extra for the specialty restaurants or dress down at the buffet. We really enjoyed dressing for dinner each night and taking our time to savour all the delicious courses. Our waiters were so accomodating that they often brought us a second appetizer or dessert just to &quot;try&quot;. All the meals were exceptional. We ate lunch in the dining room as well (not many did) because we found the meals much better there than in the buffet (Windjammer). It was so nice to be waited on for lunch and dinner. We ate at the buffet for breakfast on 3 mornings, but all other mornings we ordered room service in our cabin. It was great to have coffee and fruit out on our balcony each morning. The first morning we ordered coffee for 2, but quickly realized that we needed to write down LARGE beside the coffee so we would get more than one cup each. By the end of the third day, all of us were saying &quot;I would just like to remember what it feels like to be hungry&#33;&quot;. This is another reason for ordering room service for breakfast...the portions are much smaller. <br /><br />We had no problem getting deck chairs whenever we wanted them. We are early risers but the deck didn&#39;t really fill up until 10:30 or 11:00 a.m. I enjoyed ordering all of my drinks from the servers rather than at the bar. It just felt like total luxury&#33; We all got a little too much sun the first day so let that be a warning to all of you&#33; Even though it is windy and cool on the deck, the sun is burning&#33; <br /><br />I will just go through a few other highlights for us, as I see this is getting a little long&#33; <br /><br />-we enjoyed having our pictures taken before going into port and in the dining room. It gave us something to do while waiting for dinner...go around and hunt for everyone&#39;s photos. You do not have to buy them, but if you are like us, you will want to purchase a few as keepsakes. <br /><br />-Our first stop was Labadee, RCI&#39;s own private area. Since we had had too much sun the day before, we stayed in the water for most of the day and snorkled. Take your own snorkling stuff if you have it as it costs &#036;12.00 to use theirs. There were tonnes of chairs to sit on and lunch on the island was quite good and it was included. No extra costs except for drinks. <br /><br />-Jamaica was nice. We did a boat tour but wished we had skipped the Falls. There were too many people there&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33; <br /><br />-We stayed on the ship at Grand Cayman because that was the wedding day and we were afraid we would be late if we went on shore. The port was VERY rough and they had a difficult time tendering people in. Just as well too. We were told by everyone who went ashore that, because there were SEVEN ships in port that day, the streets were so busy it was hard to walk. The wedding was BEAUTIFUL in the chapel on the 15th floor. <br /><br />-Cozumel was FANTASTIC but next time, instead of a pre-arranged tour, we will rent our own car and drive around the island ourselves. That is one place to which I will definitely return. <br /><br />-All of our extras.....alcohol, souveniers, pictures and tours cost us an additional &#036;1200. When compared to an All inclusive resort, this seemed like a lot, but we did enjoy it. There is definitely no shortage of things to do and it is neat to see so many ports of call. When we go to an AI Resort, we don&#39;t spend anything extra except for a few souveniers, as the drinks and wine are all included. We are big wine drinkers so, for us, this is kind of a &quot;down&quot; point to the cruise. We had a bottle of wine each night with dinner, and we would have liked to have more but the cost kept us from doing so. <br /><br />All in all, we had a great time, took fantastic digital photos that we will be able to enjoy forever, had a blast with our friends who were all there for the wedding and spent some great alone time together too. The highlight of every day was dinner in the dining room. Our servers, Amardeep and Edinson, made our cruise special. They were the best. We will likely go back to an All Inclusive for the next few years, but we won&#39;t rule out cruising in the future. I think the ultimate holiday would be a week golfing in Florida followed by a cruise leaving from Port Canavral or Miami and then, after the cruise, staying for a week at one of the Ports you cruise to. Maybe when I win the lotter&#33; <br /><br />Thanks for all your help before the cruise. Your advice and answers were so valuable and helped make our holiday even better.',1171230508,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',1719,'jewels64',1,68,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(131,148,'9/1/05','I would recommend this cruise for most anyone, especially families. If you are not comfortable with crowds, lines and kids I diffently wouldn&#39;t recommend this cruise.','This was an almost a new ship when we went. Therefore, it was beautiful. My mom&#39;s cabin overlooked the Promeade Deck which was gorgeous and entertaining. The ship was so huge it accomodated various guest activities of all ages. The staff all seem to be having a wonderful time.   <br /><br /><br />Since it catered to families, there was a lot of kids on board even though we went during school time. Some of the kids were a bit rude, but only because their parents weren&#39;t around and they would show off among new friends.   <br /><br />I&#39;m glad we take a nap during the day, so we can enjoy all the activities at night. Even though we are not hungry for the midnight buffet, we never miss taking pictures.  <br /><br />The shows are remarkable. We would have to pay a minimum of &#036;50 a person for same type shows in Las Vegas or other entertainment capitals.   <br /><br />I didn&#39;t like the fact the brochure only advises a few food places cost extra. We quickly learned Johnny Rockets &amp; the Promeade Deck Ice Cream shop charge an extra fee.  <br /><br />The embarking and disbarking rated high up with our favorites.  <br /><br />I would recommend this cruise for most anyone, especially families. If you are not comfortable with crowds, lines and kids I diffently wouldn&#39;t recommend this cruise.',1171230540,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',1,'Flipper',1,53,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(132,148,'12/31/06','We had a marvelous time as usual. It wasn?t perfect but we were happy to be at sea once again. We highly recommend the Mariner of the Seas and her wonderful crew.','We have cruise more than 30 times but this was our first New Years cruise. We sailed the Mariner 3 years ago and loved it so we jumped at the chance to cruise on this beautiful ship again. We cruised the Western Caribbean, Labadee, Cozumel, Ocho Rios, and Grand Cayman.   <br /><br /><br />We got to Port Canaveral around 11:15 and were on the ship within 40 minutes, luggage drop off and all. The terminal is well laid out and easy to get around. We went to the Windjammer to eat and wait for our cabins to open up. At l PM we were at the cabin and unpacking our carry on. We didn?t have to explore the ship since all the Voyager class ships are laid out the same. We took this trip to relax after the holidays and get some rest for the upcoming tax season.  <br /><br />New Year?s Eve was the first night. Many people dressed for the occasion even though it was the 1st night on the ship. There was a huge party in the Royal Promenade with Champagne, streamers, and balloons of course. At dinner that evening each table had New Years hats and tiaras to wear for the evening as well as noise makers. Nice touch. We were lucky enough to be cruising with friends we met from a Christmas cruise 3 years ago. We picked up right where we left off and we?re very happy we had the opportunity to see each other again.  <br /><br />Ports: We really did come to rest and only got off in Ocho Rios for some coffee and Cozumel to get my DD some birthday gifts and to see how Cozumel is doing since Hurricane Wilma. The International pier didn?t fair well but downtown looked pretty good. Many of the lovely palm trees are gone and most of the beaches were devastated. The cost of some items appeared to increase. Guess its part of the recovery process. Diamonds International is helping to rebuild Cozumel so they are advertised just about everywhere now. The spirit of the Mexican people is evident and many were happy and grateful to see us. It will take them several years to get back to ?normal.? The pier that Carnival docked at is totally gone and the downtown piers are up and running.  <br /><br />Ship: The ship was in excellent condition. Lots of cleaning going on all the time. Hand sanitizers are located outside of each restaurant and there is a crew member making sure everyone used them. They were very hard on your skin so you may want to use your own. The food was good especially since we know what RCI does well. Don?t miss the Shrimp Scampi and Crab cakes. Our wait staff we also very good. We also ate at Johnny Rockets. The staff was excellent and performed for us. We always enjoy going there. Not to be missed if you like wine is Vintages. There are many types of wine and they sell flights (try 4 different kinds) to help you choose what?s right for you. The wine tenders were excellent and knowledgeable. We had a wonderful cabin steward also. We tend to spend lots of time on our balcony during our cruises and we enjoyed this one too. When the ship was in port we spent our days lounging in the Solarium pool and reading a book. It was nice and peaceful. They had the usual game shows, the ice show, a comedian and horse racing. RCI has added a new twist called Project Cruise Director where you try to become co-cruise director. Sounded like fun but we didn?t see much of it. The casino was packed all week so we saved some money.  <br /><br />The highlight of the trip for me was the Bridge tour. We were invited because we have cruised with RCI more than 25 times. It was very informative and we were able to ask any questions we wanted. The captain permitted us to take pictures on the bridge and we got to talk to him for a few minutes.   <br /><br />We had a marvelous time as usual. It wasn?t perfect but we were happy to be at sea once again. We highly recommend the Mariner of the Seas and her wonderful crew.',1171230571,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',334,'sailingrose',1,223,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(133,162,'4/5/04','NHL hockey can be a good for cruise ship fans. While reading the LA Times on-line when my Devils were playing the Mighty Ducks during the Stanley Cup Finals last year I entered a contest to cruise out of LA on RCCL. I won&#33;','Picked my school?s spring break week from teaching for our five-day cruise to San Diego, Catalina, and Ensenada Mexico out of the Port of Los Angeles, San Pedro.   <br /><br />Since we were going to arrive a couple of days before and after the Monarch cruise we decided to fly in from NJ and stay in San Pedro at the Marina Hotel to relax for a day or so then head to the ship. The former Hilton hotel provided good services and its location on the marina, nearby ocean environmental center and beach provided enough to see and do. You could take the local trolley street and rail to the cruise ship dock or a 5 min? hotel shuttle.   <br /><br /><br />Embarkation was slow process cause? the Monarch arrived late and it took about 45 minutes to board. We saw two school groups lining up to board and we shuttered, some spring break from kids. Turned out we saw very little of them except crammed in the two pool deck hot tubs. When we got our first look at this recently refurbished RCCL ship and were quite pleased. Our ocean view stateroom was amidships on deck 6 was adequate. My one request to RCCL booking was that I wanted a quiet location, not to be near any ice machines or elevators. The agent who was excited I won the trip assured me she would get me in the right place. Yup, the cabin was near both, and did not hear either&#33; Our hallway way was three cabins long; it was very quiet with no late night foot traffic. The agent knew the ship. The seas were smooth on our trip and we actually missed ship movement rocking us to sleep.   <br /><br />We had main seating for dining our waiter from Hungary was very competent. Eva could have been an LA movie starlet, she was stunning. The food was standard cruise fare I would say a notch above NCL but not near HAL. Lets say better than average. The duck was excellent, the end cut of the prime rib was great with the desserts pleasing all at the table. We were surprised to see most people dressing for formal night, it adds to the cruise experience. We did do the dinner buffet one evening and found it adequate. Our tablemates from CA were wonderful people were one of the highlights from the trip. We did not attend any of the ships shows so I can?t comment on them. The pool calypso band was excellent and brought me back to the islands with the sounds of the pans mon &#33;   <br /><br />Other cruise highlights were Catalina Island with all it?s sights, from the Avalon?s art deco Casino to the Wrigley Botanic Gardens. In San Diego we took the Trolley around town to get a general idea of what the city has to offer. We got off in Balboa Park came to the conclusion that we needed a few days in San Diego.   <br /><br />Ensenada, Mexico well?if ya can?t say anything nice.   <br /><br />The crew on board Monarch were extremely accommodating and interesting, another highlight. The ship?s size seemed to work, Monarch never felt too big or too crowded on this sold-out cruise. The 360 degree view from the Viking Crown lounge was just what we needed after a day of touring. We did miss the days at sea with the length of this cruise being five days. This is a great first time cruise and for people on the west coast who need a getaway. Monarch?s crew does it?s best to provide a pleasant cruise experience and she is in fine shape with last year?s refurbishments. I am looking different too, I gained 8 lbs. and that was taking the stairs the entire cruise. I shutter to think what my waistline would have been if I had used the elevators.   <br /><br />With some time on our hands before our flight back too New Jersey we stayed overnight in Long Beach on the Queen Mary. A stay on the QM is not to be missed by cruise fans. That?s a whole other review???',1171230664,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',378,'prop',1,47,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(134,162,'3/7/05','We would not do this same ship nor the same ports again. <br />We will Cruise again...can&#39;t wait to plan one..','Well this was our first Cruise and reading many reviews good and bad we went into our Cruise with an open mind.  Embarkment was smooth we did have transfers from LAX to the Port and we didn?t really pay much more than those who took taxis..  <br /><br /><br />We boarded the ship and were quite happy to see our cabin as we heard they were so small, we found ours an outside view was quite nice and we had enough room for both of us, the bathroom was quite small but it was fine, the shower was awesome, hot water and great pressure?  <br /><br />I did try the ships tap water and found it tasted quite bad we stuck to bottled water throughout our trip.  <br /><br />We then proceeded to look around and found a spot to sit and plan our excursion tours. We however having been up since 5:00am and traveling through 3 airports to arrive at the LAX, we ended up not feeling well so we ate on the Windjammers and then headed to bed quite early 7:30pm..and slept well.  <br /><br />We did not however the rest of the nights due to the noise from other cabins, we found the walls quite thin and could hear everything others said or did?  <br /><br />We did have a few problems, which one was a terrible tour we ended up on, as the regular tour guide was ill so a stand in one was sent, he didn?t speak English well and we didn?t end up going to the places that were advertised on the tour.   We did bring it to the ships attention and were given back 50 % of our money.   <br /><br />We also were told on embarkment we would get our passports back the next day once the ship took all necessary information. So we proceeded to the Guest Relations along with 8 others in line to get theirs back also only to be told that they will keep them for the full duration of the trip.  <br /><br />I think they should have been honest about keeping them in the first place. And since we were not the only ones told that it wasn?t a misunderstanding on our part.  <br /><br />We heard many complaints on the food, but we found everything quite good. We dinned only in the main area for our supper. We found it to be quite adequate, and our waiter once he found out I was a vegetarian he even adjusted meals removing meat from dishes to make it vegetarian for myself.  <br /><br />Our table ended up being a great group of people, 1 couple it was their first cruise as well and the other couple this was their third. <br /><br />We however were quite disappointed at the formal supper to see guests in attire that was more fitting for the Windjammer than the dinning room. Guys wearing baseball hats and black jeans were not suitable for formal night as far as we were concerned. Also the girls wearing bikini under sun dresses wasn&#39;t what we thought wass suitable either.  <br /><br />We enjoyed almost all our ports, except Ensenada, Mexico.. we found it to be quite scary as we took a tour to blowhole at La Bufadora..  <br /><br />We followed the rules as far as where to eat and shop, but found the vendors very aggressive as 3-5 men would come out of each shop and try and bring you into their shop, they would push you or pull at you to get you to come to their shop. I have never felt so nervous and didn?t shop at any of the booths until we were at the end near the bus. We were quite happy to get back to the ship after that excursion. <br /><br />We enjoyed all our other ports.  <br /><br />We were even quite happy to be out of our room at 8:00am..to disembark and wait for our color to be called. We waited about 2 -1/2 hours for our color to be called. We knew it would take long but not that long, and were getting nervous as to getting to the airport on time. but had no idea what was ahead &#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;  <br /><br />We then waited in the customs line for 1-1/2 hours, which I found ridiculous, and was very upset that many of us had to catch planes and that wasn?t taken into consideration.   <br /><br />which white &amp; blue were called at 7:45 and 8:15am..We did inquire for early disembarkment but we were not allowed as we were Canadian...  <br /><br />We reached the bus at 12:00 to have to wait until 12:15 to leave, we felt very bad for 2 other couple who had flights at 1:10pm and another who had to bump themselves to the front of the line to get to the airport for their flight for 1:30?  <br /><br />This is not acceptable and I think Royal Caribbean should be letting those who have flights to catch off the ship in the 1st or 2nd color to be called.   Just incase Customs takes as long as it did.. If you have 2700 people to get off many from the area those who have flights should have priority  <br /><br />We did hear from another couple that if you booked your flight through Royal Caribbean we would have been able to be off first, I?m sorry but that is not right, just b/c we didn?t use them for our flight arrangements which we did look at but paying over &#036; 1000.00 more for them was not acceptable.  <br /><br />I will also add that we did ask at the Guest relations the day b/4 about our flights and were told that the ships personnel were aware of which guests had flights to catch and that they would act accordingly,&quot;meaning off earlier&quot; apparently not. We were 3rd last.. Not the white that was called first or blue that was next which we found out were the flights that were arranged through them RCI.  <br /><br />So overall we enjoyed our first Cruise...  <br /><br />We would not do this same ship nor the same ports again.   <br /><br />We will Cruise again...can&#39;t wait to plan one..',1171230729,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',2106,'cruisinmama',1,207,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(135,149,'5/22/04','Navigator of the Seas Review<br />May 22-29, 2004<br />Eastern Caribbean','Cruising history: Family of 4 - DH(46), me (45), DS (21), DD (19)<br />7th cruise - 4 Carnival, 2 RCI and 1 Princess<br />Last cruise - Grand Princess<br />Occasion - DS?s college graduation <br /><br />Embarkation: A+ <br />Fast and easy. Arrived at the Port of Miami about 11:15. Parked the car in the garage and wheeled our luggage into the building. We had 4-22? suitcases, 4 tote bags that fit on top of the suitcases, 1 garment bag, 1 beach bag and a video camera bag. It all fit through the scanner with ease. Check in was quick - we registered on line and had completed our Bahamas immigration forms that came with our documents. After leaving check-in, we got ready to stand in a long line to board the ship. However, when they saw our Gold Member status we were escorted to a special ship entrance. We were on board before noon, <br /><br />Ship: A<br />Beautiful ship. Great condition. Well thought out. Decks for activities are 3, 4, and 5 and then 11, 12, and 13. The rest of the decks are mostly sleeping decks. Ship sails very smoothly. We had rough weather on the way to St. Thomas and were very glad we had that big bow to plow through the waves (we had 12 ft seas). <br /><br />Cabins: A<br />2 balcony cabins side-by-side on Deck 8, mid-ship. Cabins small but nicely appointed with lots of closet space, about 20 hangars, and lots of drawers and cubbie holes. TV, stocked mini-bar, small, but well appointed bathroom (shower very small). Nice size bed and comfortable couch. Fair sized balcony - comfortable for 2. Room stewardess was Carlene. Gave her an AT&amp;T phone card - she took good care of us all week. Towel animals most nights, remembered that we liked 4 bath towels daily and helped us keep track of the kids&#33; <br /><br />Food: B<br />Windjammer: A.<br />Breakfast in the Windjammer is similar each morning and very good. You can have an omelette made to order. Lunch each day included great hamburgers, hot dogs, and a lots of additional variety. Did not eat dinner at the Windjammer. Dining Room: B.<br />We were assigned to Coppelia dining room on Deck 4. Our servers were Gabor and Zhivco. We had excellent service and excellent food all week with lots of variety. You can order a steak every night and it is a good quality steak&#33; We ate just one breakfast and one lunch in the dining room (served in the dining room on Deck 3) - food and service was pretty bad. Chops: C.<br />We ate here on Caribbean night. Service was very good but I?m sorry to say that the food quality was so-so. It wasn?t worth the &#036;25. As a result, we cancelled our reservation at Portofinos. Caf? Promenade: A.<br />Serves pastries at breakfast and small sandwiches, cookies (they have the best chocolate chip cookies&#33;) and desserts the rest of the day. The Caf? Promenade is your 24 hour food source in addition to room service. Johnny Rockets: D.<br />Past RCL guests get a voucher to eat free at Johnny Rockets. I thought the food was awful and visited just once. Room service: A.<br />Quick and good. There?s a yummy fruit and cheese plate. <br /><br />Photos: C<br />Located on Deck 3. There is no big sell. They were out and around the ship each night but you could avoid them if you wished. They were there for port photos. They did come around to the dining room each night but it was quick and painless. Photo prices are expensive at &#036;9.95 and up. We only purchased 3 photos since the quality was just OK and the prices so high. <br /><br /><br />Ice Skating Show: A<br />Deck 3. What a COOL thing - watching an ice skating show on a ship&#33; We arrived early to Studio B on Deck 3 and had front row seats (you have to pick up tickets in advance which was easy). There were 10 skaters who skated to a variety of songs (ice dancing). For me, this was a cruise highlight&#33; They take drink orders before the show which is great&#33; <br />Entertainment: D<br />For once we did not attend the other shows. There were several comedians and several shows - there was nothing original - we?d seen all of the shows on other cruise lines. We watched the Love and Marriage Show on TV which was very funny. We listened to 2 of the singers one night on the Promenade- they were excellent. We also saw one of the parades. Warning to those who want a Promenade cabin - these shows are loud and a couple were held after 11 PM. Beware&#33; The cruise director was not very visible and didn?t generate a lot of enthusiasm. I?m used to more enthusiastic cruise directors. <br /><br />Casino: A<br />Deck 4. Lots of slots. Not too many tables. Some nights the casino was dead. Other nights it was packed. DS won a total of &#036;370 on the slots. I won &#036;40. On the last night I hit 5-50 coin wins - unfortunately they were pretty spread out. The casino was fun. <br /><br />Royal Promenade: A<br />Deck 5. This is the heart of the ship. I had seen the picture of the Voyager?s promenade on www.kroooz-cams.com but until you see it in person, it just doesn?t compute. Absolutely stunning&#33; There are 5 shops, 2 bars and the Promenade Caf?. At either end is an atrium. Aft is a dining room and forward is the Ixtapa lounge. Stunning, fun place. If you need to meet someone, the promenade is a good place. <br /><br />Library: A<br />Deck 7 - lots of books. Open 24 hours with really comfortable chairs. There is a daily trivia sheet each day which DS loved. <br /><br />Internet Caf?: C<br />Deck 8. Lots of terminals - open 24 hours. Very slow. 50 cents per minute. Costs add up quickly. <br /><br />Pools: C<br />Too small for a ship this size. Hot tubs were a good size. Salt water pools (miss the chlorine pools of Princess&#33;). Lots and lots of deck chairs - almost hard to negotiate the area due to all the chairs. There is an adult pool but it is very small. A ship this size should have at least one more pool. No covered pools so when there was a rainy day the rest of the ship was busy since no one could swim. <br /><br />Sports deck: B+<br />Deck 13 aft. Fun place&#33; Full basketball court, volleyball area, ping pong tables, inline skating area (small) and 9 holes of miniature golf (very fun). No reservations needed for any of this. Rock climbing wall is here too - very impressive. <br /><br />Viking Crown Lounge: B-<br />Nice view but very quiet. Didn?t care for the band there. <br /><br />Ports:<br />Nassau: C<br />What can I say? Nassau is Nassau. This was my 4th time here so we hit the shops for a bit. The Bahamians could really make Nassau nice if they so desired. St. Thomas: A<br />Family favorite. We skipped the beach this time and rode the tram to Paradise Point where we saw a great parrot show (10:30 AM) and then did some major shopping in Charlotte Amalie. We were in port with the Carnival Triumph which we sailed in 2000. We were also in port with the Caribbean Princess - what a pretty ship&#33; Her balcony glass partitions are a pretty blue&#33; San Juan: A<br />Included a trip to El Morro - a cool, old fort with lots of steps and climbing. We did some shopping in San Juan but since it was a short day, were unable to do anything else. Love the history in San Juan. The Carnival Legend arrived just before we left. I?d be interested in hearing from others about the condition of this ship. From the outside she definitely need some paint in certain areas. Labadee: B-<br />Smallish beach area. Sea urchins in the water. Cold water. Lunch not too tasty. Coco Cay is much prettier and more fun. <br /><br />Disembarkation: D<br />Didn?t leave the ship until 10:15. Slowest disembarkation ever. Waited in line for 45 minutes just to get through immigration. Only had 1 immigration officer working for almost 4000 guests&#33; The Miami immigration office definitely needs to work on this one. Once through immigration we sailed through Customs since we carried our luggage off. RCL needs to add the Carnival/Princess touch where guests carrying their own luggage can get off first. <br /><br />Overall impression: B. A good cruise with lots of fun memories. Good food, great ice show, collected more art, and relaxed. Will I sail a voyager class ship again? No, they are too big and too crowded. Crowd control and navigation was often difficult near scheduled events - especially in the promenade. Additionally, on a rainy sea day navigation was quite difficult since no one could swim because there is no covered pool. Service was also hit and miss - the purser?s desk and the store clerks were especially poor. I am so glad we sailed a voyager class ship - an experience to never forget. It?s pretty neat to know you?re the biggest ship in port&#33; Now it?s time to select next year?s ship - more planning to do&#33;&#33;&#33;',1171230824,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',491,'cruising2day',1,68,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(136,149,'10/16/04','The only disappointment on the whole trip was not being able to stop at Grand Caymans since they were still recovering from hurricane damage.','My husband is a quadriplegic and uses a manual wheelchair. This ship was a breeze accessibility wise. The only problem was the carpets in the hallways are very thick which makes pushing a manual chair a challenge. Any wheelchair user that pushes themselves will get quite a workout. Check-in (Miami)for disabled passengers was fast and painless. RCI allowed all of our party to check in at the same time unlike the previous experience we had with Carnival.  <br /><br /><br />We booked a Wheelchair accessible junior suite on the 10th deck and we were very impressed. The cabin was huge and easily accessible the balcony was also oversized and easily accomodated 5 adults. The bathroom in the cabin was wonderful with a large roll in shower. The only downside was a shower/commode chair with large wheels will not fit over the commode since the toilet is so close to the wall.   <br /><br />We ate at Chops the same night as the Captains Dinner and our group had the restaurant basically to our selves. We received excellent service and the food was awesome. Truly worth the &#036;25.00 per person charge.   Johnny Rockets was cute but not easily accessible for wheelchairs due to the diner style booths and narrow aisle.  Room Service was fast and good. With such a comfortable cabin I ordered most of my lunches from room service and relaxed in the room.  <br /><br />Windjammers was good for breakfast and lunch.  Slightly disappointed with the service in the main dining room. Could be because we did not eat every night in the dining room. Slow and not as attentive as anticipated. Food in the main dining room was adequate.   The ship is clean and well cared for. It was hard to believe there were 3,000 plus passengers on the ship it never seemed crowded at all.   <br /><br />The only disappointment on the whole trip was not being able to stop at Grand Caymans since they were still recovering from hurricane damage. This just added an additional sea day but with a ship this large and beautiful it was not a problem to find things to keep you occupied on sea days.',1171230875,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',1780,'abend111',1,95,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(137,153,'12/21/03','My family enjoyed this vacation and won&#39;t hesitate to sail RCI again.','We Made History.......Radiance of the Seas 12/21/03 <br /><br />We stayed pre-cruise at the Holiday Inn on 17th. Decent hotel but no coffee pots in the room. Close to port and convenient to shopping and restaurants. There were 6 of us in 3 cabins on deck 7. 2 balconies and 1 inside. <br /><br />This was the first time that Port Everglades had 16 ships and 50,000 passengers sailing. We tried to get into the pier at around 10:20 and were told we couldn&#39;t. We did get in but found no where to drop our luggage. We went to the parking garage and sat there for a while and then shlepped all the suitcases across the street to the RCI area. Found a porter immediately. Went into the terminal and into the Diamond, Platinum and Suite area and waited for checkin. They served coffee and danish and later on finger sandwiches. Check in started around 11:30 and we were among the first to get on the ship. Very smooth embarkation but remember we went very early. We watched the traffic from the ship and it looked to be a mess around 1:30. <br /><br />The ship was as lovely as I remembered her to be. She is elegant with lots of wood accents. I enjoyed roaming the ship and rediscovering her beauty. Also met many crew members I&#39;d sailed with before. <br /><br />We dropped off our carry ons at our cabin and headed upstairs to the dining room to check out our table. Then on to the Windjammer for lunch with a stop at the pool bar on the way. There I found an old friend Yoman. We sailed this same ship with him 2 years ago. After some more looking around I stopped at the Schooner Bar one of my favorites and there was Rey another one of my favorite bartenders from 2 years before. Spent plenty to time with him this week. The Schooner Bar is where they have a piano player and a sing along nightly. <br /><br />The Cabins: First time we had 2 cabins. Balcony for us and inside for the kids. Worth the few extra dollars to have 2 bathrooms&#33; Small but layed out well. Still hate the shower curtain. <br /><br />The Ship was in excellent condition. She has been well taken care of. Very little wear shows. <br /><br /><br />The Crew was always friendly and very helpful if we had questions. Our Assistant waiter Iko was outstanding. Our cabin steward and Dining room waiter were OK. We also enjoyed the Concierge club with Giusseppe Campagna. Always willing to be helpful and he had a true caring for his passengers. Hope that we meet with him again. <br />The Casino is nicely laid out. We didn&#39;t win a fortune but we broke just about even. My 18 year old son was able to join us this time and he truly enjoyed it. Stay away from the slots........awful. My only disappointment was the Roulette table that was missing the board with the previous numbers. The staff was wonderful and very friendly. <br /><br />The Food. I must say I had several surprises while on board regarding the food. The Windjammer food was much better then recent cruises and I must admit I enjoyed eating breakfast and lunch there. Fresh made omlets for breakfast as well has hot and cold cereals. My usual lunch consisted of salad or sandwich. There was also fresh carved meats. Very good quality. Also loved the tuna in the Solarium cafe. They served a few kinds of rolls as well as pizza in the afternoon. Also enjoyed the nacho chips in the Seaview cafe. They came with guacamole, salsa and sour cream. Wish they had the cheese too. This cafe get very crowded at some times especially when it first opens around 2:00. The Dining room food was a true disappointment to all of us. We did enjoy the Beef Wellington. I would avoid most of the pasta sauces except the seafood pasta they served one night at dinner. The beef and pork tended to be quite tough. We had to have steak knives to cut these and sometimes it just wasn&#39;t worth the effort. The worst was the last night, Prime Rib was OK but they served my daughter a black potato. I found the food to be bland in the Dining Room but much better in the Windjammer. You won&#39;t starve but don&#39;t expect gourmet food. <br /><br />The Ports. St. Thomas, St Martin, San Juan, and Nassau. Really didn&#39;t do anything in any of them as this really was to be a restful trip and we have already been to all of them. <br /><br />Celebrating the holidays at sea........There was a Menorah lighting each evening of Hanukkah. The ship had &#036;60,000 worth of decorations but I really felt the ship was underdecorated in comparison to our previous holiday RCI cruises. There was no tree in the centrum which was disappointing so there were no Christmas pictures taken. RCI did a marvelous job with Christmas Eve. There was caroling (the captain joined in also), a holiday show and midnight mass. On Christmas morning Santa came to all the children. The smaller ones got backpacks and the teens got beach towels. Sorry don&#39;t remember what the middle group got. You didn&#39;t have to go to Santa to get your gift if you didn&#39;t want to. The festivities were held in the Centrum and candy canes and egg nog served. When we returned to our cabins RCI had given each cabin a rolling bag. Very nice touch on their part. <br /><br />My family enjoyed this vacation and won&#39;t hesitate to sail RCI again. There are rumors that a new menu will be instituted next year and hopefully some improvements will be made in the Dining Room. All in all a very restful and pleasant trip.',1171231138,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',334,'sailingrose',1,61,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(138,153,'12/5/04','I would not hesitate to recommend or sail with them again.','Radiance of the Sea?s Review&#33; 12/4/2004 to 12/12/2004  <br /><br />  First off let me begin by telling you a bit about us. I have cruised 3 times before and my boyfriend this was his 1st cruise. Both of my other cruises were on Carnival Cruise Lines.   <br /><br />  Pre-cruise: <br />We had an early flight with only about 20 people on the whole thing; we practically had the plane to ourselves. Now the flight from Detroit to Miami now that was a different story, the plane was overbooked and loud, the landing was rough and hard. But we lived through it. We flew Northwest Airlines, but over all I would fly them again. We stayed at the Sheraton Biscayne Bay Hotel. What a great hotel it is. We had a room overlooking the bay but not the ships. This was fine due to the fact it was still a great view. After we checked in we went to Bayside market place and ate lunch at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. It was great. If you like shrimp then go eat here. It is a must. After lunch we walk around Bayside and did some shopping. We then went to Hard Rock Caf? and had some desert. We then went back to the hotel to get some rest for the big day. We took a cab to the port and it cost about &#036;11 not bad at all.   <br /><br />Embarkation:  <br />This was a breeze we got to the port at about 10:00 am and we were having lunch in the Windjammer at 11:30 am. Lunch was very good we were both very hungry. We walked around the ship until our cabin was ready.    <br /><br />Cabin: <br />We had cabin 7092 what a nice cabin. It has a VERY large balcony I personally loved it. The only bad thing about it is that you can not look directly down into the water. Tons of storage space for luggage and a nice size room. It was bigger than I had expected. Now the bath room was tiny but it served its purpose well. I did hate the shower curtain it sticks to your tush. Our cabin was next to the elevators and we never heard then the 1st time. It was nice to be so close to the elevators.    <br /><br />Ship: <br />All I can say is WOW. I had to pick my jaw up off the ground when I saw her beauty in person. Pictures do not do this ship justice. All the glass everywhere there was not a bad view from this ship. You can see the ocean where ever you are. I won?t go into detail about the ship due to the fact that so many other reviews do.   <br /><br />Cabin Stewards: <br />Well I do think that the 2 that were taking care of my cabin needed to be trained a bit more. I asked for extra pillows on the 1st night and was told ok no problem; well I never got them so I asked again the next night and was told the same thing. So on the 3rd night I asked once more and I was told that they were out and that I should have asked sooner and that they were now out of extra pillows. Well I did ask sooner and never got them. So I went to guest relations and I made them aware and needless to say I had extra pillows that night. Then one day I asked for beach towels and I was towels sure and 1 hour later I still had not got them so I went and found them and got them myself. Also they never changed the sheets on our bed they only made up the bed with the old sheets. Well needless to say after I went to guest relations again my sheets were changed. But other than those small things I did not have a problem with them.   <br /><br />Food: <br />Everything we ate was oh so very good. I miss it already. I think our best meal was the lobster. Our Waiter and Astaint Waiter were the best. We had later seating which worked out great. I would do late seating again in a heart beat. We ate at all the restaurants except the Solarium Pool and Chops. They were all great.   <br /><br />Murder Mystery Dinner: <br />This was so fun and well worth the extra money. The food was to die for and the service was great. If you go try to get seated with the charter named Madam Veluca. She was so funny and played the part so well. Only 75 people can attend and there is only one per cruise and it sells out very fast. So book it as soon as you get on the ship.   <br /><br />Soda Card: <br />The soda card cam to &#036;48.30 for an adult, but was well worth it for my boyfriend he drank at least 6 sodas a day and sometimes more. The Childs soda package was less. This may not be worth it to some but it was well worth it for my boyfriend.   <br /><br /><br />Ports of Call: <br />Coco Cay: <br />It was a nice sunny day. No rain. This was a very nice relaxing beach day. We walked hand in hand down the beach. Shopped ate and eve went kayaking. We spent the whole day there. It seemed like there was a bit of work being done on the Island, Which I am thinking is still from the recent Hurricane?s. But it still did not take away from the beauty of the Island.   <br />St. Thomas: <br />It rained off and on all day long, but that did not stop us. We went for a bit of shopping right at the pier. Then we went to paradise point for the view. It was a nice view but would have been better if it had not been raining. We then took an excursion though Rccl to Buck Island. Now that was great. Only 6 of us from the whole ship went. We sailed out to the Island that was about 3 mile from St. Thomas and jumped in to the water from the sail boat we snorkeled right above a sunken ship and some awesome coral formations. The sun did come out for this tour. We must have been holding our mouths right or something. On the way back We had snacks and a nice cold drink. It did rain on the way back to the ship but that did not put a damper on the great time we had. I would recommend this tour to anyone.   <br /><br />St. Croix: <br />We stopped here for fuel. Since we were only there for a few hours there were no tours here. But we got off the ship and shopped a bit. Now when they get this port completed and get it going this will be a nice stop during the day. I hope to visit here when it is done. Very nice people they all welcomed us with open arms for the time we were there.   <br /><br />St. Maartin: <br />The day was great sunny al day and no rain. We did the St. Maartin Senations tour with lunch through Rccl again. This time only 15 people went on this tour. We stated by boarding a nice bus and toured both the Dutch and the French side of the Island. We stopped in the French side for some shopping. Shopping is always good. We then head to a beach called Guna Bay we had the beach all to our selves it was on the Atlantic side of the Ocean so the waves were great. This is a 1 mile long beach just breath taking&#33; I wish I lived there. The lunch they served was so very good. I had to have seconds as did my boyfriend. After Lunch and more time on the beach we headed back to the ship. After that My boyfriend and I did some more shopping on the Dutch side of the Island. This was a great tour as well. I would recommend this tour as well. Very nice and relaxing.   <br /><br />Sea Days (3 of them): <br />These are the day that I loved the most you could either do it all or do nothing at all. I seemed to be the one to do it all. I ended up earning enough ship shape dollars to earn a backpack so what does that tell you. I went to classes, I walked, I climbed the rock wall, and I played mini golf, I played darts, I went to the horse races, I played the game the Quest. I was very active. Now my boyfriend on the other hand maybe did 3 of those things, if that. But that?s fine it was his vacation too.    <br /><br />THE QUEST: <br />Now this is a subject all to itself. This game is so very fun and funny. My boyfriend and I was on a team and we had a blast now if you don?t know what the quest is then I am not going to spoil it for you. But I am here to tell you it is not to be missed. To all of you who have played or seen it I am sure you would agree. Now me and my boyfriend were on team number 1 and we just happen to be on the team that won it all. So if you were there you seen us&#33;   <br /><br />Entertainment: <br />This was great as well. All I can say is that the comedians were great all the shows were great it is amazing how the entertainers can learn so many different shows without messing up.   <br /><br />Room Service: <br />Only ordered it 2 times. Once with the Romance Package and once for a late night snack. The only complaint is that my milk that was with my Romance Breakfast was bad it was like taking a big drink of Cottage Cheese. Needed less to say I went to guest Relations over this and I got a delivery of Chocolate covered Strawberry?s for the mess up. That was nice of them.   <br /><br />Pool Area?s: <br />Very nice but there is the same old problem of the chair hog?s. There are only 2 pools and 3 hot tubs on this ship. The outdoor pool has 2 hot tubs and the solarium pool has only 1. The solarium is very nice no one under age of 16 in allowed in which makes it quite. It is themed like Africa with bird sounds and all. I just loved the big cat on the side of the pool. And all the pools but the kiddie?s pool is open 24 hours a day except for cleaning. The pools are salt water and the hot tubs are fresh water.    <br /><br />Embarkation: <br />Very well run and very fast for this sort of thing. Not that fast is good when you really don?t want to get off the ship. Rccl has this process down to an art.   <br /><br />Post Cruise Stay: <br />We stayed at the Sheraton Biscayne Bay again. Once again very nice. We spent the day touring Coconut Grove and other parts of Miami. Our flight did not leave Miami on the 13th until 4 pm so on Monday we went to Bayside again to shop some more before our flight. We fly Northwest. Flights went very well. It was a shock on our body?s coming for 75 degree sunny weather to 30 degree snowy weather. I want to go back I want the warm.   <br /><br />So as you can see with a few minor flaws we had a great cruise and I all ready have another booked for Oct 2005 with Rccl. I would not hesitate to recommend or sail with them again. Them have everything down to an art. I will be posting photos so keep your eyes open. Sorry for the long review. I just wanted to share my wonderful cruise with everyone.',1171231197,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',1,'ssaterly',1,87,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(139,158,'4/11/04','We just returned yesterday from the Rhapsody. It was beautiful, everything was extremely clean. We had no problems with any of the crew, they were all very friendly.','The only problem we had was trying to get soda in the dining room. There were so many activities, we could not do it all. What we could not go to was shown later in the evening on TV. So that was very nice. We were on deck 3 with a larger inside stateroom. We were not sick at all, most of the sick people we talked to were staying in the upper decks of 7 &amp; 8. We had no issues down below. We had a larger inside stateroom for the 4 of us (the girls are 13 &amp; 15 and the bunks were very large) and had no problem with unloading our 7 suitcases plus carry-ons. <br /><br />I was very impressed with the number of drawers and closet space and the bathroom was very large. Our room was kept very clean (even picking up the kids stuff and making neat piles&#33;) The towel animals were very cute. Anytime we saw our room attendant she was asking if there was anything we needed, if everything was okay. She kept our cooler filled with ice at all times for the cans of beer my husband bought and the wine we got from the travel agent. We were turned away in Grand Cayman, only the smaller Carnival ships were able to tender there. It was not the captains decision the port authorities of Grand Cayman cancelled it. Chris our cruise director said the locals hate it if the port is closed as they loose a lot of business&#33; So that was disappointing. We were really looking forward to Tortuga rum. (If anyone is going soon and are from Wisconsin-let me know I&#39;ll pay you for some&#33;) It could have been worse though. <br /><br />Voyager only was able to go to Cozumel on FRIDAY; all their other ports were cancelled. At least we had Key West and Cozumel&#33; It was mostly cloudy and rain on and off on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. The pool had to be drained on Wed. since we had 8-10 foot seas most of the trip. It probably should have been drained on Thursday too when Grand Cayman was cancelled, but I think if they had done that the natives would really have been restless&#33; The replaced the pool water 3 times and the last time on Friday the pool temp was 82 degrees and warmer then the air&#33; We had great fun in the pool when the ship was really rocking. There were actually undertows and we were getting pulled in&#33; The staff did a great job of coming together and planning extra activities on the day we were supposed to go to Grand Cayman. The cruise directors were very fun, the shows were great (we had the original drifters, juggling, comedy, Broadway productions, a member of the letterman group.) There was something for everyone. <br /><br /><br />The bingo was fun, the kids can play as long as the adult buys the cards and claims the prize (prices were steep though at &#036;35 per 6 pack of cards). The food was excellent in the dining room. The buffets in the windjammer were not the hottest temperature but that is always true at home too&#33;), the selection of food was great and the kids loved the cookies there. Our headwaiter Sam was great. Always making a new origami animal for the kids each night. The dining room staff did sing for us every other night. It was so much fun to watch them. By the time the week was done my hands hurt from all the clapping all week&#33; There was violin and piano music during the daytime in the lobby area and in the dining room each evening. There was a surf side band during the afternoon at the pool. Slow dancing in the lounges. Disco in the Viking crown lounge. Theme nights (50&#39;s, 70&#39;s, 80&#39;s themes). <br />I am very sensitive to cig smoke and was very impressed that there was not a lot of that, although we did stay out of the bar areas at night. I would cruise again in a heartbeat, if we could afford the voyager class we will try that one but I would not hesitate to go on the rhapsody again. The Captain retired with our cruise so a new one was starting with the next sailing. He had a great dry sense of humor. When we got to key west he yelled to the people watching on the dock to see if this was Key West, they nodded their heads then he turned to us up on deck 10 and said this was Key west. <br /><br />I don&#39;t know who the next captain will be but he was pretty funny. You cannot pay with cash only for gambling in the casino, we did not give the kids spending abilities as it was with our purchases, gratuities, bingo, wine, soda cards (it actually was just a sticker on your sea pass card, once you got the coke container you never needed to show it again), massage, photos our total came to &#036;821&#33; There were people ordering the drink of the say at &#036;5.95 like water, we only had a few. So I can&#39;t imagine what their totals were&#33; The soda cards for the kids were well worth it at &#036;28 + 15% gratuity, so we bought 2 kids and then 1 adult--the adult was &#036;42 + 15%. Had I known that the containers were exactly the same I would have just bought the 2 kids. Soda by the can was &#036;2.50 if you bought it. We had no room in the suitcase or we would have brought some&#33; <br /><br />Lemonade and Iced tea were free all the time, but you could not get lemonade in the dining room. I should have brought a little vodka a long to add to it&#33; All in all it was a great vacation and we will do it again as soon as we can pay this one off&#33; There were people of all ages (some of the elderly were complaining about the kids but they picked spring break to come, so they should have expected that&#33;). I was surprised at how many infants-3 yr. olds were there, I would not consider that a vacation for me&#33; The 4yr-12yr olds looked like they had a blast. There were many groups of 2-4 families together that looked like they had a blast. The kids all hung out together and they knew some people already. We may try that next time, come with some friends and their families&#33; My girls being 13 &amp; 15 were split up in age groups and since they always hang out together they were a little disappointed. They spent more time with us then I had imagined but that was okay too. They slept late and we had breakfast by ourselves&#33; Sorry this was so long but we had such a good time&#33;',1171231265,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',992,'bakal',1,33,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(140,158,'12/4/05','In closing, our overall experience on RCI&#39;s Rhapsody of the Seas was a pleasant one.   <br />Rating on a 5 scale would have to be a 4.','This was our first cruise on Royal Carribean and will not be our last. The personal was very friendly and helpful. Anything that was needed was taken care of in short order, from the room steward to the Edelweiss dinning room watier and staff.  <br /><br /><br />Ok here goes; <br />A) Boarding was a breeze. All papers were filled out and we were at the pier and on the ship in 30 mins or so. All personal was extremly helpful and accomodating.  <br /><br />B) State room (deck 2 forward starboard side)were a little small when compared to Carnival, but served well. There was plenty of places to store all items. The beds were something to be improved on. They were nothing more than a metal bunk bed with a matress. I, personally, got used them with no problem. The wife on the other hand found them lacking.  <br /><br />C) The shows in the Broadway Melodies Theater were very good. The Haines Magic show was nothing I&#39;d pay to see, but on the other hand the Original Platers with Herb Reed was and excellent show. The typical song and dance shows were middle line and I did enjoy watching.  <br /><br />D) Shore excursions had plenty of options although the opions for paxs with limitied mobility were slim and limited. I saw quiet a few elderly as well as younger folks with limited mobility that most likely had to pass up excursions due to this fact.  <br /><br />E) On ship activities were plentiful if one were so proned. I opted to find a quiet spot and read. I don&#39;t gamble or play Bingo so the reading option was right up my alley.  <br /><br />F) Comment on tendering. Grand Caymans tendering was first class. Cozumel on the other hand was slow and appeared unorganized. We were late leaving the ship for whatever reason which cut our shore time down. The Coz tenders took a long time to load and unload thus slowing the whole process.  <br /><br />G) The main topic...Food....I found, for the most part, the food was good. We ate breakfast in the Windjammer 6 out of 7 mornings and all dinners. Supper was in the main dinning room with the exception of the first night.  Bye the way I&#39;m from Texas and we have Dinner (lunch) and Supper (dinner) so live with it. Our meals in the Windjammer was buffet style and plentiful. I had no problem eating my fill with a relaxed atmosphere. The wait staff was quick to refill your tea and kept the area clean. The meals in the Edelweiss dinning room were for the most part very good, although my wife felt the choices were limited. I had a mis-cooked steak one night, although edible was not my choice of preperation. Offers were made to correct the situation but I refused as the steak was tender with good flavor...It wasn&#39;t that big of a deal. My wife to my knowledge did not have a complaint the whole trip. The wait staff (Ribi and Dario) bent over backwards to please.  <br /><br />H disembarkation,,this was slow for what ever reason. We were almost an hour late for our color to be called and was almost 11 am before left the ship. This process could be speeded up I feel. Customs was no problem although it seemed that there was a shortage of baggage handlers.  <br /><br />I) The ship....overall the ship was clean and well maintained. We had a non working elevator on the foward part of the ship which was maybe a problem for some, but was easily side-stepped by taking the stairs. Maintainence was overall good and the ship only showed average wear and tear for the number of clients that it hosts week after week.  <br /><br />In closing, our overall experience on RCI&#39;s Rhapsody of the Seas was a pleasant one. We were pleased and well relaxed after 7 days. This is a cruise that I&#39;d reccomend to anyone. The price was good, accomodations were good, staff was good, good food, and a good iteniery (Key West, Grand Caymans, and Cozumel).  <br /><br />Rating on a 5 scale would have to be a 4.  <br /><br />Thanks for reading  Jim',1171231331,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',2278,'Peddler',1,34,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(141,158,'1/2/06','I could go on but if you are considering a cruise on this ship,  Save your money. Take another cruise.','I have read the reviews from the last two years and I have to say this was by far the worst cruise ever.   <br /><br /><br />Embarkation went smooth. It helps to preregister online. We were on the ship in 10 min. from the time we dropped of the luggage.  <br /><br />Our room was dirty. There was black mold on the shower. Hair on the floor and the cabinet doors were crusty with dirt. I asked that the room be cleaned 2 times and it never happened so I did it myself. I am not a clean freak but but that was just plain nasty.  <br /><br />The food in the dining room was pretty good. Alot different that Carnivals food. I quess it was more down home. The sweets were great. For ship coffee, it was good. The waiter was really helpful. We were served leftovers a couple of times for lunch.   <br /><br />On the third day into the cruise we had booked an excursion. On the day we reach our destination we were herded into the auditorium. We had to wait until our color had been called and left by tender. We had to stand in a line in the sun waiting for our tour quide. He showed up, asked for our tickets and took us by bus to our location. When we arrived there we realized that we were not on the excursion we paid for. We asked the guide about this and he informed us that this was the way it was going to be and if we didn&#39;t like it, go back to the people that we bought the tickets. Soooo we did and they told us to fill out a form and come back. We went back everyday, several times a day and they would not give us a refund. They refused to even discuss it with us. They said it was a &quot;Miami&quot; decision. Whatever that was.   <br /><br />The cruise events were unorganized and the staff was terribly rude.   <br /><br />I could go on but if you are considering a cruise on this ship. Save your money. Take another cruise.',1171231375,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',2367,'lunarmoon2000',1,97,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(142,158,'10/15/06','I would encourage anyone who wants a slow paced cruise with lots of varieties of activities and things to do, a kind crew and great food to sail the Rhapsody of the Seas&#33;','This was my second cruise and second time sailing with Royal Caribbean. The Rhapsody is a sister ship to the Splendour of the Seas which I sailed six months ago and I found the ships very similar. I will however focus on the Rhapsody in this review.  <br /><br /><br />My wife Valeri and I went on this cruise and we are from Utah. We used frequent flier miles to get to Houston Hobby airport (which is closer to Galveston) and as usual, the availability of frequent flier miles, has determined where we cruise from. Houston has been the only place we have found that we can get to with four-five months notice. <br /><br />Since we had a great experience last time, we decided to do this again. There are several reasons this works well for us and I will attempt to share those in this review.  <br /><br />Transportation to the ship: <br />Transportation from the airport seems to be the hardest thing for me to do on these trips. After seeking advise from CruiseCarzies message borad, I found an LJ Cormier who has a site CruiseShipShuttle.com and was fairly priced, and very punctual on doing what he says. He was reasonable, and very on time. He communicated well and was a pleasant person to visit with. He comes highly recommended to anyone who needs a lift from either airport to and from Galveston.  <br /><br />Registration: <br />We arrived at the ship on Sunday morning with rainy weather and dark skies. despite the bad weather, we were excited to be on vacation. I found embarking easy and fast. It was well organized and the staff was eager to help. They greeted us with a smile and for those who made mistakes and didn&#39;t read directions that they maybe should have, it did not seem like a big deal to them.   <br /><br />Embarking: <br />Arriving on the ship is always exciting. We found that you could board about 11am, but we arrived about noon. I found that the layout of the Rhapsody was very similar to the Splendour, so I already knew my way around. We headed to the Windjammer on deck 9 forward and had lunch. This is the buffet that is opened most of the time for anyone to have breakfast, lunch, snacks or dinner if they choose. In the afternoon, they close half for cleaning. This did not seem to be a problem as it seemed less crowded at that time anyway. I found this facility clean and always well stocked with food. I was always able to find something there that I liked very much and plenty of it. The plates were large and the staff was very helpful to always make sure you had whatever it is you wanted. They always had Ice Tea, Lemonade and Water for free here. You could come here anytime and just grab a drink and take it to your room or anywhere else on the ship cutting the costs of sodas or other drinks (if you are worried about costs). The desserts were also good. There were always plenty of cake, pie, cookies, pudding, jello, and many other varietys I can&#39;t remember.  <br /><br />State Room: <br />Our state rooms became available promptly at 1:00pm We stayed on deck 2 forward in a middle cabin. There are several advantages of doing this for us. Valeri does not like to see the ocean very much as it makes her ill sometimes. Also, both of us like how dark the room is in the event you like to nap, and we took at least one every day. It is also the least expensive of all the cabins for anyone more concerned about price.   <br /><br />Our cabin was about 2 feet wider than most of the inside cabins on the ship since it was forward on the ship. I believe we got this because we booked so far in advance.  <br /><br />The beds are bunks with matresses that are a little worn. Both Valeri and I noticed that it was not quite like our &#036;2000 dollar matress at home, but we found them comfortable and good enough for our liking. They are able to configure the rooms to have the beds together or apart. We also noticed that there were two beds that could be dropped out of the ceiling of the room to accomodate children or other passengers if needed.   <br /><br />The shower was also larger than the last cabin we had. The sink was a little worn, but we found it very functional and it met our needs very well. There was plenty of room to store all our clothes in drawers and closets and our luggage fit very well under our cots. There is a small TV in the room, the channels all worked and the picture was good. The TV could be adjusted to any angle and tucked away nice when not in use. There was a safe that was very easy to program and seemed to be secure.  <br /><br />Our state room attendant was very nice and made our experience pleasant to say the least. He was very eager to help and instructed us the best ways to make our experience a great one. He learned our names very fast and made our stay that much better.  <br /><br />Dining Room: <br />After a nap, we got dressed for dining in the Edelweiss dining room. It was clean and formal. The food was good and I found that they had many items to choose from that I would consider ordering. All tables always had fresh flowers and white linen table clothes. We sat on the second level up near the galley. We were very fortuante to sit with some very fun people who we became friends with quickly and did not notice anything that bothered us sitting so close to the galley. The Formal nights were nice and the food was always good. The service was fast and the waiters were pleasant. I would rate the dining very high from any experience I have had just about anywhere else.  <br /><br />Departing Galveston: <br />I am afraid that the experience we had leaving Galveston was not a good one. Not because anything the crew could do, but because of weather. We headed directly into black skies and 15-20 foot swells on the ocean. Our ship was rocking and rolling&#33; For those of us who didn&#39;t drink, we were walking like we were drinking. Those who were drinking seemed to walk in a straight line and didn&#39;t notice the ship rocking. (that was suppose to be funny) The crew I talked to said it was the worst they have seen on the Rhapsody since they have been on the ship. This continued through the next day and stoped on the second day at sea. There were not many people out and about on the first day. There were sickness sacks (barf bags) at every stairwell on every level. I noticed that as the day went on, there were fewer and fewer of them. Personally, I don&#39;t get sea sick, but for those who did, it was not pleasant. This is a rare thing and hopefully not something everyone will experience on any cruise. The rest of the cruise was GREAT weather and no rocking back and forth.  <br /><br />Entertainment: <br />This being a 7 day cruise, we had our first two days at sea. That means that you can do whatever you want for at least two days. The Broadway Mealodies Theater is on deck 5 forward of this ship and the balcony is on the 6th deck. I am not one to enjoy the dancers and singers too much, but they seemed to be par for a cruise ship. I can only take them in very small doses. The theater always seemed to be full and people seemed to like it. There were other entertainers that did meet my liking. Comedy was funny and there was a juggeler who was also talented and funny.    The Cruise Director and his staff seemed to have it together for the most part. They had the same kinds of activities that I remember from my last cruise from Royal Caribbean. The avtivities were often crowded, but I found the people I sat with pleasant and we all laughed a lot. We went to some dance classes and danced a lot. That is always fun for us and there were plenty of opprotunities to dance.  <br /><br />The Viking Lounge on deck 11 aft was where the late night dancing took place. They had an 80 night and a Disco night that were both very fun. We didn&#39;t stay too long at either of these, but had a great time while we were there.  <br /><br />My wife wanted to play Bingo, so we went and found that this is a place the ship cashes in on your money. As far as we could tell and me doing math for about 30 seconds. The ship takes in about &#036;9000 per Bingo session and gives out about 6 or 7 hundred in winnings. There were about 5 bingo sessions and I figured that they took in at least 70k as some sessions were much larger and more money, and gave out about 10k in prizes total. Maybe I should be opening a bingo parlor&#33; At &#036;35-50 a game (each) it didn&#39;t take long to find out that the odds of winning were much better in the casino  <br /><br />The Casino seemed to be fun as long as we were winning. The slots are really tight on all cruise ships from what I have read. This ship is no different. The tables were the same as any other casino anywhere else I have been. the odds were just a bit worse, but still fun. The staff was nice and fun to talk to.  <br /><br />Shore Leave: <br />Jamaica was our first stop. We did not have an excursion planned but saw that about half of the excursions were centered around Dunns River Falls. We docked and walked off the ship. We found that everyone was very excited to offer you a taxi and even more excited to take your money any way they could. Our Assistant Waiter was from Jamaica and told us the falls was about a 10 minute ride in a taxi. One lady was very persistant on giving us a ride there. She wanted to charge us &#036;20 to go one way. I tried to talk her down and she started playing on my feelings and calling me cheap and all this stuff. I asked a different guy who was walking by and he said &#036;8 I said OKAY&#33; The lady knew she was trying to take us for a ride and not in a taxi.  <br /><br />The Falls were nice. They were swarmed with staff who wanted to take a picture with our own camera and were eager to aske for a tip after taking your picture. This only took once and we were done with people pretending to be nice.   <br /><br />The Falls themselves were pretty. They are the type that have many natural steps and a lot of people climbed them. The people I talked to who did had a wonderful experience and would do it again over and over. We had fun watching.  <br /><br />The other activity I heard that was fun was the zip lines.   <br /><br />We went back to the shopping center and got out of our taxi and immeadiately got badgered to get right into another one. In fact, two people saw us get out of a taxi and right away asked us to get in another one. We found the prices to be much better at any Walmart and the selection to be focused around Bob Marley.  <br /><br />We got off the ship at 9:30 am and was back on the ship by 11:30am. I would not select Jamaica as a port of call if I had a choice to go anywhere else. I have had better experiences arguing with my ex-wife than I did in Jamaica. I found it very uncomfortable.  <br /><br />Cayman Islands: <br />We booked an excursion to swim with the Stinrays for this one. We tendered to the island and found our arranged transportation to the boat dock about 15 minutes away. We got on a large caramaran and then headed 45 minutes to Stingray city. This turned out to be pretty amazing to me. They were all pretty tame and would come right up to you. Of course they wanted a hand out too, but we were prepared. The boat staff provided squid and they would suck it right out of your hands. I felt a bit weird at first with all these stingrays swimming around your feet and running into you, but after a while I felt comfortable holding them and feeding them. It was a great experience for me. Valeri did not like it so much and spent most of her time on the boat. She did enjoy watching and also said this was a great experience for her.  <br /><br />Shopping was also pretty expensive and much more american in culture. I did not really talk to anyone from the island and was never asked for money, a taxi, drugs, sex or anything else. It was a nice place overall. Flat compared to Jamaica and not as many green trees. I would definately put Grand Cayman on my list of places to stop if I were to go again.  <br /><br />Cozumel: <br />I was in Cozumel six months ago. Exactly a year ago they got hit hard by a hurricane. They are recovering very well and leaves are back on the trees and they are still finishing some of the buildings that were destroyed. The beaches are back and resorts are opened. We did not have an excursion planned here, but instead rented a car. It was about &#036;40 to rent a car and &#036;50 for a jeep. They rent them right at the pier where we docked. Our dock was a few minutes out of town, but we noticed that 2 ships docked walking distance from the main shopping area.   <br /><br />Renting a car seemed to be the way to go on this island. We found a place to park a couple blocks from the shopping and found one shop where we bought most of our souviners for our kids and loved ones. They are a bartering culture, so we found a price that worked for all of us and then put it in the trunk of our air condidioned car. We chose a car because of air conditioning as it was so hot&#33; We felt that it was nice not to have to worry about our belongings as they were loced in the trunk.   <br /><br />I hear the crime rate in Cozumel is very low also.   <br /><br />There is one road that takes you all the way around the island (45 miles) and we took it about half way. We found our own little beach and walked up and down it a few times before jumping into the warm ocean. We had some cokes at a little hut and then decided to head back.  <br /><br />This time in Cozumel was much better than six months ago. I think renting a car was a great way to go and would highly recommend it for this island.  <br /><br />Heading Home: <br />The last day on the ship was very anti-climatic. You just knew you were heading home&#33; We found ourselves eating like it was our last meal (several times) and packing our bags (boo-hoo) and taking a nap and eating again.   <br /><br />Disembarking: <br />Getting off the ship was also pretty easy. Yes you have to wait to go through customs and the line took about 20 minutes or so. It was raining again in Galveston, but it was nice to have a ride waiting for you and we left immeadiately because of who we chose to take us to the airport.  <br /><br />Conculsion: &gt;<br />This trip was a very memorable one for Valeri and I. We loved the people we sailed with (at least 50% Texans) and loved the ship, staff, food, entertainment and just plain old laziness. Some of the reviews I have read were very negative. I would imagine that the people who wrote them were also a bit negative as well. I found this ship to be VERY clean, pleasant, fun and for the money - BIG BANG FOR THE BUCK&#33;   <br /><br />I would encourage anyone who wants a slow paced cruise with lots of varieties of activities and things to do, a kind crew and great food to sail the Rhapsody of the Seas&#33;',1171231417,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',2436,'btate',1,70,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(143,158,'10/15/06','Overall Everything was Great and the food was Good, you know its not Moms Homecooking, The Service was Great overall except for our waiters&#33;','FRIDAY 10/13/2006 <br />We left at 6AM Friday Morning for the Drive down to Galveston,Going through Houston was rough plus they have a lot of Construction too&#33; The traffic going out of Galveston on Friday was Bumper to Bumper glad we wernt leaving Galveston&#33;  We arrived at the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort around 4 PM and checked in&#33; We got a room facing the Ocean with a Balcony&#33; Real great view and real nice room and hotel,I highly recommend it&#33; you should see their outside Bar across the street from the Ocean&#33; This is on Seawall Blvd&#33;  <br /><br /><br />Saturday October 14th. 2006&#33; <br />We got up Early because Annie was eager to get out and about The weather was very windy and warm,we went to Galveston Ilsand State Park Its West On Seawall Blvd. about 10 Miles on The Left&#33; We walked along the Beach and just enjoyed each other walking in the waves picking up some nice Seashells&#33; At 7 Pm we went to Landrys Seafood Restaurant and had our Seafood Platter and entrees&#33; The Service was bad and the food wasnt as good as in previous years&#33; The Manager came over to see how everything was and I told her we didnt get half our order no refills on drinks and I said that I didnt want the Girl to get into trouble and I was assured she wouldnt Our &#036;80.00 Meals were Free as was our Bar Bill&#33;But I woul Highly Recommend you go to Willie G&#39;s at Pier 21&#33;  <br /><br />Sunday Oct.15th&#33; Time to Go Cruising&#33; <br />We left for the Terminal at 11:00 AM in a Yellow Taxi Cab the Hotel called, the Cab driver took us the long way around to the Terminal&#33; I advised him of this and told his Manager about it&#33; So dont use the Yellow Cab Service or if you do make sure you are taken the shortest route&#33; We got our bags checked then went into the terminal to check in the whole prcess took only 1 Hour and we were onboard at 12: PM, The Cabins wont be ready until 1 PM so go get you some food at The windjammer Buffet&#33;We got into our cabin at 1 PM unpacked some until Boat Drill Yeeessshhh&#33; Afterwards we went to the Sailaway Party&#33; The Food was Ok this Trip but our Waiters werent very good&#33;We had great Table Mates, they were from Southern California must be something about them Californians huh Joey&#33;?  <br /><br />MONDAY OCT.16th. 2006 <br />We ran into some rough weather with the seas over 20 feet high and high winds from the front that was moving from the Gulf into Galveston,Annie got Queasy but I had no problems Im going for some Breakfast, Omelettes and fixings YUM&#33;  <br /><br />TUESDAY OCT.17th. <br />Seas are Calmer since we got out of the front, I only spilled a half cup of coffeee walking back to the Cabin&#33;Went to the Casino and played the Quarter slots and won &#036;60.00 One of the holding tanks went out and there was no sewer service, also they had a fire in the Incinerator as well, I think its time for Dry Dock&#33; But as far as that everything else is fine&#33;  <br /><br />WEDNESDAY OCT. 18TH. <br />08:45 We arrived in Ocho Rios,Jamaica Alongside the Dock&#33; The weather is extremely Humid and Hot 88 Percent Humidity&#33; Very Beautiful Water and Iland.  10:AM: We went ashore to Iland hope I spelled Iland right but you get the message we went into &quot;TOWN&quot; Grin&#33;Most of the shops had no Electricity and was dark but the Village ones had some and AC Most of the Shop Opereators werent very friendly and no Bartering period,I wasnt impressed with Margaritaville either and they wanted to charge you for the chairs for the beach even if you had a drink there&#33;Their Liquor was about the same prices in the States&#33; I spoke with one of the other cruisers who told me he made the mistake of walking around town and was mobbed by vendors,Taxi cab people wanting to take you places pushing their products at you and were getting belligerent&#33; So walk around town at your own risk&#33;Overall the Islands Beautiful but do Tours, If youve been in one shop youve been in all of them&#33; I only stayed 45 Minutes and that was enough for me&#33; We left at 5:30 Pm for the Caymans&#33; Thank Goodness&#33;  <br /><br />THURSDAY OCT.19TH.2006 <br />We arrived in Grand Caymans at 07:00 Hrs&#33; and Tendered&#33; Very Humid and Hot but Beautiful Iland as well&#33; Carnival Conquest was there as well&#33;We went into town and as usual all prices were high as well&#33; Again I suggest Tours here as well but also to look around town&#33; Tendering went well with only two ships,it took us 20 minutes to get to the dock at the pier&#33; We left The Caymans at 4PM for Cozumel&#33;  <br /><br />FRIDAY OCT.20TH.2006 <br />We arrived at Cozumel and Docked at 09:00 Hrs. The Piers are all still damaged bad not much work going on to repair them&#33; Extremely Hot and Humid&#33; Sunscreen sunscreen&#33;We got our shopping done there and got &#036;800.00 worth of Jewelry for &#036;200.00&#33;Now thats what Im talking about,and we had the ships Jeweler look at it as well and were told it was authentic and we got a good deal and we Bartered as well&#33; UH&#33;HUH&#33;Suggest Tours here as well but do your Major Shopping in Cozumel you just have to look at all the right places to get a good deal&#33;I spoke with another Passenger who said they did a tour of the Inner Iland and said all the Palm trees,houses and some buisnesses were still torn up bad from last year&#33;Probably need to do the ruins or water sport tour&#33;We left at 6PM For Galveston&#33;  <br /><br />SATURDAY OCT 21ST.2006 <br />Received our Invitation from the Guest Relations that our tour of the Bridge would be at 4PM&#33; We arrived at the Pursers office and Adrian the Guest Relations MGR.Took us to the 8th. Floor we went through three Security doors to get to the Bridge better Security than Aircraft to their cockpit&#33; The Second Officer was from Croatia and he gave us the complete rundown on all the Instruments the Radar,Navigation system,there were only 8 of us that had a invitation&#33; One guy wanted his picture taken driven the Ship in the big Black Captains chair but it was forbidden to take any pictures of the Bridge and I understood that but we were able to take them on the wing outside the Bridge where the Capt. docks the ship&#33;It was extremely Interesting to see how the Bridge works and all the computers and Radio Room and the Backup Systems while you are cruising they have it on Automatic Pilot with a Quartermaster upfront looking out for any Hazards&#33; Mostly everythings Automated&#33; The Captain came in and I was able to give hime the Police Patches that we had framed for him and heliked it very much,we were told that it was a priveldge for the Capt. to show up on these bridge tours,because he usually doesnt do it&#33; So that made our day to talk to him more in depth than the Captains Party&#33;  <br /><br />SUNDAY OCT.22ND 2006&#33; <br />We arrived in Galveston around 06:00 Hrs. and it was cool,windy,and had been raing&#33; It only took us 45 minutes to get through customs and off the ship,our passports got us through faster than people without them,get those passports they didnt even look in our carry off baggage or shoulder bags&#33;  <br /><br />And I forgot to tell you that Formal nights are Mondays and Thursdays for the Western Caribbean, Caymans, Jamaica, Cozumel Sailings&#33; It was nice&#33; Overall Everything was Great and the food was Good, you know its not Moms Homecooking, The Service was Great overall except for our waiters&#33; We hate to see Rhapsody leave but we were told in Two Years theres two more cruise lines coming in&#33;Plus I beleive Laporte,Texas is building some piers as well,so we should see within the next several Years some more cruising choices,about time&#33; This just my views others will have different ones&#33; Thanks for reading this hope it has helped somewhat&#33;',1171231502,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',2626,'Scirocco',1,109,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(144,154,'4/24/04','All in all, it was a great cruise. We had great table mates and we met some really great people.','We just got back from the Serenade repositioning cruise, San Juan to San Diego, April 24 to May 8. What a great experience. It was our 15th cruise with RCI and ranks as one of the best. <br /><br />We did a pre-cruise stay in San Juan at the El Convento Hotel. What a great experience, unlike any other hotel we?ve ever stayed at. In San Juan we had dinner at The Parrot Club, a definite 9+, and also at Jirabisco?s, about a 7. We took a full day tour out to El Junque with a local tour agency, Native Tours. Our driver was Manuel and he was a great guide, funny and informed. <br /><br />Embarkation was a breeze. We hardly stopped walking after getting out of the taxi handing off our luggage. The ship was beautiful, our third cruise on a Radiance class ship. Service. The service on board was absolutely phenomenal. I?ve never met so many pleasant people in my life. Everyone was upbeat, smiling and just downright nice. We had read complaints on CC that RCI service was slipping, don?t believe it. Our room was always made up and ready by 9:00 am, at least on sea days. Rodney, our steward was always around and we saw him every single day, no exceptions. <br /><br />Dining room service was also top class. Michael and Esky were kept busy, but were very efficient and never missed a beat. We had 14 bottles of wine over the course of the two weeks. We always had at least two bottles open and we never had to wait for service. Kerstin, the Head Waiter, was the busiest, most active and personable Head Waiter we have had, she was an absolute 10. Windjammer and bar service were equally as good. Food. The food varied, some nights were very good, others were not as good. I believe food is very subjective and so this is just my personal viewpoint. The osso bucco was very good, as was the tenderloin and prime rib. The rib eye steak was not that appetizing. Still for 14 days we ate very well and very varied. One thing was consistently good was the presentation, always so well done. We enjoyed the Windjammer food and we were pleasantly surprised by the variation and choice available. We dined at Chops and Portofinos and would give both of them a definite 10. <br /><br />Dress Code. This was a very well dressed cruise. Almost all the people we saw followed or even exceeded the suggested dress code. There were three formal nights and at second seating the vast majority of men were in either a tux or suit. We had three ?smart casual? nights and again there were a lot of men in suits or jackets, lots of ties. We saw only one person wearing shorts in the dining room in the evening. <br /><br />Ports of Call. We visited St Thomas, Aruba, Puntarenas, Huatulco, Acapulco and Cabo. In St Thomas, we shopped in the morning and took a round the island tour with a guy we found down town. &#036;20 pp for a three hour tour. We bought some perfume, but the prices were the same as at home. <br /><br /><br />In Aruba, we rented a Jeep for &#036;85 between four of us. We had a really fun day, got lost once but made it to all the sights, lighthouse, Natural Bridge, Natural Pool (we couldn?t get down because of a breakdown on the ?road?), the gold mine etc, and spent some time on Baby Beach. Ended up in Carlos and Charlie?s, after we had returned the Jeep. <br />In Puntarenas, we took a ship?s excursion, the Aerial Tram. It was well organized and a very interesting experience. <br /><br />It was our first visit to Huatulco and we got a local taxi to drive us around and see the sights. Not a lot to see outside the city except lots of landscaping and construction for the hotels being built. In the city the shopping was low key, the cathedral beautiful and the beer really cold. Huatulco was very clean, no trash anywhere. <br /><br />In Acapulco we had arranged a private tour for four of us, through Roberto of the ACA. Check him out on the CC Ports of Call Board, he?s very good. He arranged for a Suburban for us and we had a great tour around Acapulco with Oscar as our driver and guide. It was the most enjoyable Acapulco tour that we have ever done. <br /><br />In Cabo we walked around town, finished our shopping and had lunch at the Shrimp Factory. <br /><br />The passage through the Canal was as interesting as ever, Gatun Lake was beautiful and it was a very relaxing day. <br /><br />Debarkation was a breeze. We basically just walked off the ship. We filled out our Customs forms and handed them in at Guest Relations. When we were ready to leave the ship, we walked down to the luggage area, picked up our luggage and walked out of the terminal. No Customs and no Immigration&#33;&#33;&#33; That was a definite first. <br /><br />All in all, it was a great cruise. We had great table mates and we met some really great people.',1171231595,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',590,'jbond',1,199,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(145,154,'4/23/05','I had such a wonderful time I wish I were back on that ship again&#33;','I guess I have been back long enough to do a review of the Panama canal trip on the Serenade. I am sorry to disappoint the whiners, but I have NOTHING to complain about except whiners and things caused by others, not the cruiseline&#33; Like the HEAT&#33; I know I will get blasted, but since I can not stand whiners and nit pickers, I will ignore them anyhow.   <br /><br /><br />We already been on The radiance so was well versed on this type of ship, which we love.The ship was perfect and the food was great, we also ate at Chops and Portofino&#39;s and the service and food was outstanding. But the dining room and our servers were also. It amazed me that they kept the menu fresh and interesting for 2 weeks. We had a balcony cabin on the hump, and it was plenty roomy and comfortable.  <br /><br />St Thomas was nice as usual, Aruba, not a favorite of mine. I will never go back for a week.. too boring and the island too hot and dusty for me, I am not the lazy type who gets thrilled by sleeping on a beach inviting skin cancer ( if I wanted to do that beaches on LI are just as nice). I do like going in the water so we did a catamaran tour and in the evening met friends (who were staying on the island) for dinner at the Paddock, the food was good there also.  <br /><br />The trip thru the canal was awesome, something everyone should do at least once in their lifetime. We had a bump cabin so we had the same view as the lookout on the bridge, that was amazing. So part of the time we stayed there and the rest of the time we spent in the aft cabin of one of our travel mates. It was a bit hotter there because not as much overhang as our balcony, but the view was fun&#33; That day was just wonderful&#33;  <br /><br />That nite we stopped at a small port outside of Panama city. We just had a short stay there but it was cute. I am sorry I did not get the panama hats which were &#036;15. the crafts were also very unique.  <br />The next stop was Costa Rica which was quite amazing to me. I had no idea they had such a high literacy rate, 2-3 in the world&#33; We took the off road tour in a converted Russian missile launcher, what a blast, the country is very lush. There was AC on the bus but the sun was intense and it was HOT, so it helped some, but not alot. But we did not mind as much when we were brought to a picnic by the river ( and crossed in this huge truck). When we got back to the ship we then went to the flea market on the beach. What polite and friendly people, it was a very enjoyable port and not overpriced.  <br /><br />The next stop was Huatulco Mexico. This was a nice laid back port. We did shopping mostly and I got some nice pieces of jewelry. There was a church on the beach that was engineered so that it had natural air conditioning.   <br /><br />Acapulco was next and this was the least favorite port of mine. The beggars when you got outside of the dock compound were beyond annoying. he port had it&#39;s heyday way back when , but now parts of it look like sleazy downtown Disney. The views were nice though and we saw the black lagoon and where the stars live. The &quot;diamond&quot; area which is newer is much nicer. The high point was the cliff divers, but when you got on and off the bus the vendors selling things did not want to take no for an answer. The tour guide said not to buy from them, but he should have chased them away. But then again he does have to live there after we leave.  <br /><br />Cabo San Lucas was a more pleasant and cleaner port, but some of the sellers right at the dock were also annoying, but not as bad as the last port. The stores and beaches were very pretty and the regular merchants were also pleasant.  <br /><br />We had lots of sea days They ( alternated between ports) which gave us a rest from some of the more robust excursions. Most of the shows were great. If there were ones that were not to my liking, I just did not go. But there was plenty of things to keep us busy. We also had 3 formal night which were very formal, thankfully. I had a wonderful time and although there were things that annoyed me like people who complained here and there, they were few and far between, so in general I do not pay attention to them. One man complained that there were more than 2 people on the omelet line... even though it moved very quickly. Some people are NEVER happy&#33; And I was sad because we did not get to go to the Quest because one of the couple we traveled with booked Portofino&#39;s that night. Dinner was wonderful and the service was over the top, but dinner does not take a short time. So by the time we finished dessert ( which were to die for) it was over. Because they were only a handful of children we did get to use the water slide, that was cool&#33; The main pool was a bit crowded, but the solarium pool was perfect. The midnight buffets were also wonderful. I thought that 14 days would make me crazy, but after awhile you juts got into the routine and it began to feel like home.the seas were so smooth the whole 2 weeks that I was sort of missing the rocking, maybe the midship cabin was the reason. But I slept like a baby the whole cruise. As usual we received wonderful service from the entire staff. Also as members of CC we were given a tour of the bridge which was quite nice. And the CC party was well attended and we had a great time meeting everyone. I had such a wonderful time I wish I were back on that ship again&#33;',1171231673,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',27,'BridaBunny',1,84,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(146,163,'3/4/05','We both truly enjoyed our time on the Sovereign and I look forward to sailing her twice more this year. RCI really did a lovely job with the remodel. She?s a grand old ship with a wonderful crew and I wouldn?t hesitate recommending her to anyone.','Background: I?ve cruised on many of the major lines but RCI seems to be our favorite. My 18 year old daughter and I took this 3 day trip for some well deserved mother/daughter time.   <br /><br /><br />Since we had sailed on the Sovereign 5 times in the past we were very curious to see the new improvements since her dry docking last year. We were not disappointed and loved the appeal of the new Sovereign. We arrived around noon and it took only 10 minutes to board the ship. Immediately upon boarding we noticed the improvements to the Guest Relations area. It reminded me of the style aboard the new RCI builds. We headed to the new and improved Windjammer and loved the way it was redone, separate stations for each kind of food. It was laid out very well. The addition of Johnny Rockets and Sorrento?s Pizza upstairs was very nice. We had a quick bite and then looked around the pool deck.    <br /><br />At 1:00 we headed toward our cabin an outside on deck 3. Our cabin steward Randy was excellent. Our only real disappointment with the ship is that the rooms still seemed very old. It would have been wonderful if RCI would have updated the bedding more. The bathroom had a mini facelift and looked pretty good for a ship of her age. We did have the sewer smell in our cabin but in a few hours it was gone. Others I spoke to also mentioned it but we didn?t smell it again. We dropped off our stuff and headed out to see the rest of the improvements.   <br /><br />The kid?s area had a total redo and it was wonderful&#33; Lots of fun space for the younger ones and the teen?s area was much expanded. Each area had computers, games, etc. The teen area had nice chairs and large video screens.    <br /><br />We checked out the show lounge and Bolaros which used to be Finnians Rainbow. The lounge was totally redone and it looks marvelous. Bolaros the Latin club was the hot spot on the ship for us. The staff, MaryLynn, Jorge, and Ryan were excellent. We enjoyed the dueling pianos in the evening with Rose and Jeff and in the daytime the art auction, trivia games, etc were held here. My daughter enjoyed the Disco as well late at night.    <br /><br />We were on the deck 4 dining room late seating and the service and food were very good. The first night we had the Italian Dinner and I enjoyed the Scampi. The second night we had the beef and it was excellent. The last night was the weakest menu for me (Turkey) but I didn?t starve. I must say the food was much improved from what we had on the Jewel in December. I?m not a buffet fan but the food even here was much improved. We only had breakfast one morning in the dining room and it was very efficient and the Eggs Benedict were very good. We also ate at Johnny Rockets (free coupon for Crown and Anchor) and really enjoyed it especially the onion rings. We did order milkshakes and they were excellent.   <br /><br />I didn?t see any of the shows except the dueling pianos. Also didn?t use the spa or the gym. We never had trouble finding a seat at the pool. My daughter was able to gamble for the first time this trip and she liked the nickel slots. I did let her play the Wheel of Fortune for me. I enjoyed playing Black Jack and Let It Ride. I only lost a little for the weekend.   <br /><br />We had a great time in Nassau. Did a little shopping and then went to Senor Frogs. Lots of fun&#33; We didn?t make Cococay as the seas were too high. Only wish the Captain didn?t make the announcement in our cabin at 8:00 am that we couldn?t go. Could have gotten some more sleep. We enjoyed the sea day and all too soon it was over.    <br /><br />Disembarking began at about 7:30. We got off just before 8:00 and once we cleared immigration we hopped in the car for our short drive home.   <br /><br />We both truly enjoyed our time on the Sovereign and I look forward to sailing her twice more this year. RCI really did a lovely job with the remodel. She?s a grand old ship with a wonderful crew and I wouldn?t hesitate recommending her to anyone.',1171231746,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',334,'sailingrose',1,77,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(147,163,'4/22/05','Would I go on Royal Carribean again? No, I don&#39;t think so. I prefer the quiet eloquence of Holland America and will be glad to get back to them.','Embarkation was handled quickly and efficiently as I had completed all forms online. We were not permitted to go to our cabin until 1:00 but went to the sail-a-way party at the pool. When we reached our cabin, it was clean and ready. There were only two problems: the toilet did not work and there was a hole at the bottom of the outside of the bathtub that was sort of fixed with two pieces of grating that did not completely fill the hole. We called and were informed that the toilet problem was WELL known and they were working on it. During the entire cruise the cabin stewardess was great&#33; We got two towel critters a crab and a swan. The pull out sofa bed was lumpy and hard to sleep on. We would not have gotten much sleep in any event as we were on deck 10 and the pool band played loudly into the wee hours of the night. Also, the walls of the cabin were paper thin and if someone in the next cabin sneezed and you whipspered God bless you they heard it.  <br /><br />The colors everywhere were to say the least gaudy.  <br /><br />We purchased the soft drink card and got the souvenir coke container which was filled each time we requested, but you had to track someone down and they were not really happy about having to refill it. The only members of the staff that seemed at all happy to see us were the officers. The rest of the staff acted like we were a pain just by existing.  <br /><br />The food in the main dining room and the Windjammer was good but dont bother going to Johnny Rockets as the help there needed a lot of reminding as to what you ordered and its not worth the cover charge of &#036;3.95 a piece.  <br /><br />I use a three wheeled scooter to get around. Most of the time I had to wait at least 20 minutes to get an elevator that had enough space to accomodate me. That was extremely inconvenient.   <br /><br />We did not get to go to Coco Cay as the weather was too bad so I cannot comment on that.  <br /><br />Debarkation was quick as we were on the 6 hour VIP Kennedy Space Center Tour and got off the ship first.  <br /><br />Would I go on Royal Carribean again? No, I don&#39;t think so. I prefer the quiet eloquence of Holland America and will be glad to get back to them.',1171231849,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',2185,'dogladyjw',1,69,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(148,163,'3/5/05','Royal Caribbean did a good job and we WILL be back to sail this ship again. Next up is Adventure of the Seas in May, sailing with our favorite Cruise Director, Graham Seymour.','After a very enjoyable sailing on Royal Caribbean?s Empress of the Seas a few months ago, we were excited to go on this short, three day cruise to the Bahamas. We were especially excited because we are within easy driving distance from Port Canaveral, making short cruises a good choice for trying new ships. As usual, the only thing we would regret was that it was not a longer sailing.  <br /><br /><br />EMBARKATION - 10  <br /><br />Normally we try to get to the port really early, like 9:30 in the morning, so we can be the first in line. The thought has always been that in arriving early we were able to tour the ship, take photos, check out our stateroom, dining room table assignment and the like before the ?herd? arrived at Noon. This time we tried something different and planned on arriving at Noon just to see how it went. <br /><br />Upon arrival everything looked normal except not a lot of the old passengers waiting to leave and not many of the new passengers waiting to board. Armed with Set Sail pass granted us after completing online check-in, passports and a credit card, along with our one carry on per person we entered the terminal right at Noon. Interestingly, there was no line. We were quickly processed and on the ship 5 minutes later.   <br /><br />I can?t think of anything they could have done better. Watch out Princess, your rule as king of embarkation may be challenged very soon. This was just that good.  <br /><br />CABIN: 8  <br /><br />After booking our first outside cabin on the Empress and doing fine with that, we booked an inside cabin on the Sovereign. Before I go on you need to know a little bit about us.   <br /><br />This is our 17th cruise, all of which have been in balcony cabins except the Empress and this one. This is a huge change in our cruise preference profile, one that could have a dramatic impact on the cruise experience. I just remember saying to myself that having an outside cabin was a lot like watching the ocean on television as compared to sitting on a balcony, up close and personal with it. Really believing that I thought, ?what the heck, let?s try an inside?. The potential financial benefits of a lifetime of cruising in an inside cabin vs a balcony are enormous. Worth a try for sure, if for no other reason than to be able to fully relate to inside passengers. If the movie Titanic taught us anything it?s that cruisers with class book balconies and suites and good looking, care-free scallywags who won their ticket in a card game end up drawing pictures of beautiful bodies. Hmm.  <br /><br />What we found was a standard small cabin, just no window or balcony. All the other basic features of any other cabin were there:   <br /><br />? Restroom with shower - bigger than phone booth size on Empress, bigger than Princess, about the same as Celebrity, Carnival and NCL. Cheap plastic shower wand not too impressive and a joke compared to the new ultra lovely ones on Celebrity Concierge Class, but adequate <br /><br />? Beds - the most comfortable bed on any cruise ship so far, Simmons Beauty Rest (not that Simmons is all so great but here it was wonderful), first time ever I did not wake up with a backache <br /><br />? Television- Just ok- limited selection, spoiled long ago by Carnival?s Fun Vision. There are movies but for some reason they?re not mentioned in the daily ship newsletter, The Compass . We watched the ending to ?Walk the Line? 4 times and decided that was good enough, I?m taking that one off my Netflix queue. Phoenix was robbed at the Ocars by the way.  <br /><br />? Phone- standard fare, used it to call room service who answered promptly <br /><br />? A little desk and chair- same as any other ship <br /><br />? Climate Control- Worked about as good as any other: Lisa thought it was fine and said leave it alone. I said ok but it was too hot so I cranked it all the way to cold when she wasn?t looking then woke up in the middle of the night freezing. <br /><br />? Safe- nope, no safe. Lucky I brought the fake boulder from home where we keep our secret key to the house. <br /><br />? Location- steerage. I learned that in order to make a strong cruise ship, engineers must adhere to many basic sea-faring principles just so the ship will float, like no holes in the hull. Another seems to be that the cabin walls are required to be thinner as you go further down into the bowels of the ship. Our cabin on deck produced an intimate feeling. It was kind of like living in a toilet stall but the sound came through the walls rather than over them. Score a few points for the balcony cabins of our past.  <br /><br />SAIL- AWAY- 9.5  <br /><br />Again, Royal Caribbean takes first prize. Sail-away is one of my favorite parts of the whole cruise. It?s always a happy time and everyone on deck is so full of anticipation about what is about to happen. As the ship pulls away from the port, just the mere movement of this huge vessel is cause for celebration. The air is ripe for excitement and Royal Caribbean takes full advantage of it by striking up the band and bringing out the Royal Caribbean Dancers to do a fun routine welcoming guests to join in for dancing after.   <br /><br />And they do, in droves.  <br /><br />I just can?t say enough about how brilliant this idea is. Guest excitement is already at a fevered pitch. If this is their first cruise or 50th, if they?ve been planning this for a year or a week, this is what it?s all about. Just the live Caribbean steel drum music is enough to set the mood. When the Royal Caribbean Dances explode out on to the deck the crowd goes wild and if there was a roof on the ship it would have been blow off as people of all races, backgrounds and orientations instantly come together as one.  <br /><br />Some Cruise Directors try for a week to make this happen by the end of the cruise. I?ve only seen a handful of them garner this level of excitement earlier in the cruise. Graham Seymour, formerly with Princes, now with Royal Caribbean on a different ship, has that ability as does John Heald from Carnival. I?m really looking forward to seeing how Graham does in this environment on the Adventure of the Seas when we sail with him later in a few months.  <br /><br />The only reason I give this one a 9.5 instead of a 10 is because the Royal Caribbean Dancers did not come in on queue. It created a few awkward moments probably not noticed by first timers but uncomfortable for those that knew the routine.   <br /><br />The secondary benefit of this whole thing is that it really makes you want to go see the dancers later in the cruise in a show. There they are, right there with you, celebrating with dance the sailaway. I think the only thing they could do better would be to have the Captain there briefly as part of an even better choreographed sequence?but I guess it?s probably better to have him on the bridge at this time huh?  <br /><br />FOOD- 8  <br /><br />My last cruise was on Norwegian Cruise Lines where Freestyle Dining is popular. We really liked NOT getting dressed up and for this short cruise debated whether we should or not for quite some time.   <br /><br />I?ve always been a big believer that dressing up for formal night is a big part of the cruise experience. That thinking has not changed. We always adhere to whatever the suggested dress is for any given night in the dining room if for no other reason than out of respect for those who are really into it. Hey, I have my ebay tux and if my Weight Watchers program continues to work well I might actually be comfortable in it some day.  <br /><br />Ok, probably not  <br /><br />In any event, not wanting to get dressed up combined with a desire to see what it would be like to not eat in the dining room at all we decided to do just that: Not eat in the dining room at all.  <br /><br />This would be a great ship to try it on too.   <br /><br />The Windjammer buffet area is set up in stations using a scatter style manned buffet like Princess tries to do in the Horizon Court set-up but fails at. They?ve tried to cram it all in too small of an area. It?s similar to what Carnival does on newer ships but Carnival has it so spread out that it?s easy to miss something or have cold food by the time you?ve made it around the circuit. It?s a dramatic departure from the straight-line cafeteria setup we?ve seen on other ships too, including the tiny Empress of the Seas.   <br /><br />In addition, one level above is a Johnny Rockets (&#036;3.95 additional cover charge for the food, pay for the drinks) and Sorrentos, a great pizza place.  <br /><br />Room service would be another option at our disposal with a good menu selection. More than the sea biscuits we were expecting in our cabin next to the livestock hold, we enjoyed the cheesecake and cookies on the first night after a particularly tiring casino session. <br /><br />The first thing we found as favorable was that the menu in the buffet was basically the same as in the dining room, right down to the wine available by the glass or the bottle. What liked was that it is setup to do in courses, just like in the dining room. Combined with a lower lighting level and increased service presence on the dining room floor, the ambiance of the room produced a very nice experience.   <br /><br />Don?t get me wrong, I still think that for the vast majority of guests, the dining room experience is the way to go. Especially first-timers. But if you want to do it truly on your schedule at a time that is truly convenient to you, this is a good choice. I don?t know if it?s a Royal Caribbean thing or not but the food was wonderful?.and I don?t think I am saying that because this cruise represents a 3 day vacation from our Weight Watchers plan where Lean Cuisine is standard fare.  <br /><br />The end result of it all was that we made a good decision, for us, trying out other dining options. I was impressed.   <br /><br />But food is such a subjective thing. One person may think that the coffee is really good (me and I am right) and another (stupid) person may think it was awful. So please take the opinions expressed here or in any other cruise review with a grain of salt (or arsenic if you don?t agree with me). The ultimate act of cruise dumbness is paying more than a fleeting thought at a negative report about any one aspect of a cruise.   <br /><br />Sure, there will be isolated incidents of bad service or food. But by and large, they do a good job, the motion of the ship won?t make you barf, some people will bring on their own booze, you?ll lose more often than you?ll win playing slot machines, and the drink of the day is the International Symbol for dumb. Think about that the next time you are on deck. Look around and see how many people have those drinks and don?t know what it symbolizes. Then tell me you didn?t laugh even though you had one too  <br /><br />The point is not that there?s maybe fifty cents worth of booze in one of those. The point is that for many that?s a big part of the cruise. My wife says that the cruise doesn?t start until she has that first foo foo drink.  <br /> <br /><br />One thing I think Royal Caribbean is especially good at is pointing us in the right direction to do and experience all our cruise has to offer while maintaining the ability to customize the experience just for ourselves. The food service on this ship is a great example of this. Other than the buffet area the ship boasts a decent pizza place, a Johnny Rockets (&#036;3.95 cover) and does other traditional events like Afternoon Tea and has a 24/7 coffee station available.  <br /><br />The Casino -9 if based on how much I won 7 otherwise  <br /><br />First off, all that really matters to me in the casino are the slot machines. If there?s plenty of them, that?s good enough. It?s nice of them to have all those people standing around those tables smoking though. The constant haze in the air creates a nice ambiance. I wish they could make that a Hickory or Mesquite aroma so the chef could cure meat in there.   <br /><br />Everyone who plays slot machines, a game of skill requiring tactics and grace, knows that the first night is the on were the slots really pay out. They do that to ?hook? you on the thought of making easy money. Then from day two on, they place the pay-out setting on ?abuse player?. Of course we know that but we don?t want to believe it. That winning feeling from day one is just too good.  <br /><br />What I like about Royal Caribbean?s system is that on each machine there is a little LED readout that tells me how many ?points? I have accumulated. It?s never really apparent how those points are calculated but I had to have 800 of them to get my ?High Roller? polo shirt. I was done. I?d bet my last quarter. We went to dinner then came back to the cabin to watch the Academy Awards. Right in the middle of the Award for Best Supporting Floor Sweeper In A Foreign Short Film With A Twist it dawned on me that I?d not cashed the points I?d worked so hard to get.  <br /><br />Off to the casino I went.   <br /><br />I had &#036;785 in points. That was enough to get two t-shirts (300 points each) or a few drinks (&#036;150 each) but not enough for a polo shirt. Lucky for me that I?d brought along a twenty dollar bill. The plan was to us that &#036;20 to give that machine who?d robbed me all week one last chance to make peace with me. I envisioned hitting the combination that gave me 4,000,000 coins (extra zeros added for potential Wow factor), getting it paid out in small bills then returning triumphantly to the cabin to shower the Mrs with money, proving what a keen gambler/tactician I am.  <br /><br />Instead I got nothing except points. I was up to &#036; 796.50 now. Returning to the cashier I asked to have my points checked thinking she would just let we slide on the shortage. Nope, had to be 800 points.  <br /><br />Ok now here?s the illuminating part about me  <br /><br />I have no idea how those points are calculated but it?s surely not dollars put into the machines because I didn?t play with any amount even close to &#036;800. Still, not wanting to admit to total defeat, I had to have that polo shirt.   <br /><br />But I?d already spent the &#036;20 I?d brought with me.  <br /><br />Not a problem, I just went to the cashier and charged another &#036;20 on to my shipboard account. After playing and losing that &#036;20 I had &#036;800.25, enough for the polo shirt  <br /><br />Now let?s think about this for a minute  <br /><br />I probably could have bought a polo shirt like that in a store for &#036;15. If I wanted it to have a sailing theme I could have bought Nautica Brand for &#036;50 and had a little sailboat on the breast. But no, I spent hours racking up 800 points to get this stupid shirt?.and I was proud of it&#33;  <br /><br />DISEMBARKATION- 10   <br /><br />Just as easy as getting on the ship, we took advantage of the Express service where we just walked off the ship with our luggage. Bypassing the sea of luggage snaking around the room on conveyor belts that others would be sorting through and the porter who?d require a gratuity, we walked right out to our car and drove home. They announced that we could leave at 7:20am and by 7:45am we were in the car and on the road.   <br /><br />OVERALL EXPERIENCE- 9  <br /><br />Royal Caribbean did a good job and we WILL be back to sail this ship again. Next up is Adventure of the Seas in May, sailing with our favorite Cruise Director, Graham Seymour. On this one we?re going to experience waiting to 1 month out from sailing to buy our tickets. After this Sovereign cruise we have no problem with inside cabins so we?ll just pick what ever is the least expensive and see where we end up. Stay tuned.',1171231909,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',148,'LifeIsCruising',1,53,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(149,163,'5/15/06','It was too short. When do we leave again? I will sail Sovereign again..','Our vacation began at (FNT) our flight left at 7 am. I had originally booked 12A &amp; 12 C. But, when we checked in we were offered the EXIT row with seats 22A &amp; 22C. <br /><br /><br />If anyone needs extra leg room this is the perfect spot. Being that I am 6?2? I could stretch out without a knee bend whatsoever. We were lucky that we had a tail wind as our flight made it to Orlando in a mere 2 hours 11 minutes. Once we retrieved our luggage from Deck 2 we headed down to Level 1 to catch the Hertz shuttle bus. We made one other stop before heading to the Hertz car showroom. it?s a quick 5 minute ride from the airport. The driver drops you off at either the GOLD or the Prestige drop points. We were dropped off at the regular customer drop point. ( Weeks earlier I had gone online and checked in using the Hertz #1 Club signup. What?s the difference? When we were dropped off at the office everyone stood in the rental line, Except me as I found the Hertz #1 Club line and I was the only one in it. So in less than 5 minutes I was off to C-37 to get my white SUV.) Only thing that was funny. When we got to C-37 it was a Mazda not a Toyota. So I went back to the line which was empty. The young lady asked what she could do. And I stated that my Toyota turned into a Mazda hatchback. Immediately the manager had me in another vehicle. J-25 and we were on the road. Very happy with Hertz?s service center in Orlando.  <br /><br />Now we are headed on the 528 toward Port Canaveral. Driving was light at 10 am to 11 am. One toll plaza along this stretch. &#036;1.25 for our vehicle. We spotted the remains of many palm trees that had been burned right up to the highways edge. The swamps were so dry that the streams that had run through them were dry river beds. No wonder the locals are moving, looking for water.  <br /><br />We got to Port Canaveral and drove down to Cocoa Beach and ate at Taco Bell. Not very high class but it quenched the thirst and tummy. We then went to Ron Jons. I had barely made it in the front door when a salesman tried to sell me a timeshare. My wife came over and said NO THANKS its my turn.  <br /><br />We did not purchase anything but it is a nice shop. We drove along the beach all the way back to the hotel. It?s a nice drive. And you can see the pier. We headed to Radisson at the port. We checked in and we had a nice room 201, it?s a 2 room whirlpool suite. We changed our clothes and headed to the pool. The pool is not round nor a rectangle. More like a mushroom shape. With a waterfall separating the two areas. Along with a circular kiddies pool and an isolated Whirlpool for adults. We did not use the inside facilities, but the drinks at the outside bar could have been a little more potent for the money. We stayed in the pool for a few hours and then we got out and headed to dinner.  <br /><br />We ended up driving along the pier and Grill?s was packed. We wanted to go there but we could not find a parking spot nowhere. We drove down the pier and my wife spotted Fishlips. We got right in and went upstairs and got a port view sitting. We ordered their signature drink which was very tasty. It was like a colada with a Baileys additive. We found another great drink. And three foo foo glasses. My wife had a Mahi Mahi meal and I had a pasta chicken dish. Both were very good. We watched as two ships went to sea, Disney and Carnival and had we waited another 10 minutes we would have seen the RCCL Mariner pass by. We even got a free cheesecake with ice cream.  <br /><br />We headed back to the hotel and decided to try out the whirlpool.  <br /><br />After walking a little around the hotel we called it a night.   <br /><br />We woke up around 9 and I took the rental back to Hertz. Before I dropped it off I had to fill up the tank. Just a mere &#036;12 versus buying the entire tank. They drove me back to the hotel and we walked around a bit and then headed to the main door to wait for the shuttle. Make sure you call a few weeks ahead of time to make sure you have a spot on the shuttle. The Radisson also has park and ride for the shuttles. Once we boarded the shuttle at 11:15 am we were at the ship with in a few minutes.  <br /><br />It was much nicer and easier to let someone else drop you off at the pier. We went right inside and make sure you have your Bahama card filled out. And being a platinum member we got to take the short cut line. There must have been 40 people in front of us but being that we have sailed before we got to go to the front. And then we were only at the counter for a short time as we had all ready filled out the Sail Pass form. Before we knew it we were standing in line waiting for our pics to be taken for the Sea Pass Card.   <br /><br />Once onboard I got a drink special with a flashy glass. We also purchased the Coke cups. We next headed to the Windjammer for lunch.  <br /><br />There was ample room in the Windjammer and the food was good the entire cruise. We then headed to the pool deck where we found two chairs next to the pool. The pool was netted off, and the second pool was being refurbished. By the end of the day they had a nice new paint job for the entire pool.  <br /><br />At 1 pm the rooms were opened and we headed to our room. 7550. We were a mere 3 rooms from the nearest door to the deck. So we had a great balcony which was public but it made the trip special.  For this trip being our FREE cruise the room was very nice for &#036;56. However the tile in the bathroom was lifting in many places. And a strange odor was coming from the drains so we kept a towel over the drains. Our bags arrived before 3 pm which is great compared to Voyager class ships were it may be 8 pm before you see your luggage. We headed back to the pool deck until around 4 and then we went to get our life jackets for muster drill. By 5 pm we were heading out to sea. We stayed on the pool deck for a while and then headed to our cabin to get ready for dinner.  <br /><br />We went to dinner and table 22 was empty. But then along came Gene and Theresa from Panama City, Fl. They were a very nice couple. Then after a short time three others showed up. They had requested early sitting but there was a mistake. They were from California.  <br /><br />Oliver was our waiter from India. Our assistant waiter was nice but, my soda was empty longer than it was full. Oliver was funny and enjoyable. I think we had a Head Waiter on Day One and Day four.  <br /><br />The food in the dining room was good and the service was overall good.  <br /><br />We saw the show on Day one and Rodney Johnson was a great comedian. If you want to lose weight by laughing go and see his show.  <br /><br />By midnight we were ready to find our Cabin.  <br /><br />Tuesday  <br /><br />We ordered room service for 7 am and our Coffee and Tomato juice arrived promptly at 7 am. Very good.  We arrived at CoCo Cay by 8 am but the gloomy skies and rain made everyone wonder what the day would hold. We went up to the Windjammer for breakfast and many were talking ?Where is the sun?? We went to our room and gathered up our snorkeling gear and headed to Deck 2. There was a long line but within 20 minutes we were on the tender heading to the island. There were good 5- 7 foot seas. Once we got to the island we found some chairs and parked. Then came the chit-birds. They were grabbing food and dropping there loads. When we were in the line of fire we moved to the outer rim of the snorkeling area.  <br /><br />We snorkeled twice and got some good pictures of fishes. After we swam around we went to lunch and then headed to the ship as it was a mostly cloudy day. We did some onboard shopping and I bought a very nice Citizen Professional Divers watch for &#036;209 and we did play in the casino a few times. They now have it on the Sovereign that you can earn points for how much you spend in the casino for added gifts. 150 points gets you a free drink up to &#036;10 and 300 points gets you a Casino T shirt.  <br /><br />We went up to the Windjammer and watched the sail away from CoCo Cay.  <br /><br />Tuesday night was formal night and also the Captain?s Welcome aboard reception. FREE CHAMPAGNE.. Don?t miss it. Drink quickly as in 30 minutes they turn off the flow.  <br /><br />Next came dinner and when I came to our table there were 4 Kentucky Bells sitting at our table. It turned out that these lovely four ladies had asked for a large table but they were seated at a four top and thus could not meet anyone new. So here we had, Wanda, Libby, Darlene and Ruth. And they were a wonderful addition to our table. We lost the 3 from California as I assume they found a table at early dinner.  <br /><br />Tuesday night ended pretty much after dinner. The Captain did however pour on the juice and we docked at Nassau on Tuesday night around 10 pm. He did this as we pretty much had a rain day on Tuesday and this way people could explore Nassau at night. Many got off and headed to Senor Frogs.  <br /><br />On Wednesday morning we woke up at 7 am to room service then got dressed and headed to the curb to await the Stuart Cove?s shuttle. I have been waiting for this dive for weeks. We spotted the shuttle and ran over to it and it was misting at the time. The driver said that the snorkel had been cancelled due to the weather. So we headed back to the ship and to the Windjammer for breakfast. While we were eating the skies opened up and I thought it was Monsoon season. The rain was coming down sideways. At first I was bummed about not having the excursion however when the rain let loose I was a little bit happier. We had seen many excursions leave on boats for snorkeling and the glass bottom boat also and everything was cancelled after they headed out then turned around and headed back in. It was an all day rain. We went to Bolero?s for a Name that Song Contest. We were teamed up with Champs as we took first place but I do not remember answering any questions. My hat goes off to that other couple.  We won RCCL pens.  <br /><br />After that we headed to Nassau in between the showers. We bought 3 shirts, 1 shot glass, one Del Sol bag and then we ended up at Senor Frogs. I had a Yard in a half of drinks and my BH had a half of a yard. Then we stopped at the Straw Market before returning to the ship. We stayed in port until midnight and it just would not stop raining.  <br /><br />That night dinner was wonderful and Darlene even had an Italian stallion as a shot. We were looking forward to sun for our Sea day.  <br /><br />The next day Thursday?..the Captain found Sunshine. The pool chairs were claimed by 9 am. We went to breakfast at the Windjammer and then headed to our saved chairs. We did the pool scene all day. Drinks were flowing and I think we may have been sailing along at a mere 5 knots. Very smooth day and we were under blue skies all day. We were invited to the Viking Crown Lounge for the Platinum / Diamond get together. We were drinking champagne and Eyeopeners by noon. And eating salmon and scrumptious goodies.  <br /><br />I had to bolt by 1230 pm as the belly flop contest was scheduled for 1245 pm. And being a silver medallist from the Navigator I had to enter. After the first flop I was in 1st place. But then those that whimpered out in the first round hurt themselves in the 2nd round. But out of no where the Belly flop was won by a 6?4? female that absolutely had wonderful form on the 2nd flop.  <br /><br />You can see pictures at <a href=\"http://community.webshots.com/user/michigancruisers\" target=\"_blank\">http://community.webshots.com/user/michigancruisers</a>   <br /><br />I should have the Sovereign uploaded by next weekend. As I only took roughly 800 pictures in 6 days.  <br /><br />Well we stayed at the pool until nearly 5 pm and low and behold my skin color changed from slightly red to beet red. It was a wonderful day at sea that clinched the end of the cruise.  <br /><br />We packed versus going to the show but we did go to dinner and then won some money in the casino at the Black jack table and slots. I think after the rain days they loosened the slots up.  <br /><br />We headed to the cabin around midnight as 6 am would be coming too quick.  <br /><br />Well its 6 am and the ship is off the coast but land is in sight. By 630 we were headed into the port and by 7 we were against the dock. We were lucky to get beige #1 which meant first off. All Platinum and Gold members get off together after having coffee, tea, juice in the Conference room along with pastries. Hats off to the Crown and Anchor ambassador and her assistant. We got off and went to immigration and customs at the same time. Next thing we knew we were looking for our luggage. Once we found the luggage we headed to the Hertz van for a ride to the Cape Canaveral site. We were in our SUV by 8 am and on the road. 1st stop breakfast. McDonalds?.Strange in Florida Biggie sizing only gives you a bigger drink but not another hash brown. It must only be a northern thing. We stopped along the highway to take one last look at the Banana River before heading toward Orlando.  <br /><br />Since we were 12 hours from leaving on our flight we headed toward Universal Studios. We decided to do the City Walk. It costs us &#036;1.25 at the first Toll, &#036;.75 at the second and another &#036;.75 at the third toll. No wonder there are call boxes along the highway. They can afford it. At the end of 528 you head north on I-4 to get to Universal at exit 75. It costs &#036;10 to park. Then we walked around in all the shops and stores. We ate TCBY and then had lunch at Jimmy Buffets and the Volcano Nachos is enough for 2-3 people. And I ordered that plus a Cheeseburger in Paradise. Wow was I full. We left the park around 3 and made it back to the Hertz Service center by 330 pm and after checking in we were on the shuttle and at the airport by 345 pm. We had to wait until 435 pm to check in as our flight was not until 835 pm. We paid extra to get business class but I did enjoy the bigger seats. However the exit row gives you more leg room.  <br /><br />Well we walked the mall for some time before heading to our terminal. Once we got to our terminal we ate dinner and then waited for our flight. We were onboard by 815 pm and we left at 835 pm and we landed at 1103 pm. At the gate by 1106 pm and headed home by 1120 pm. It was too short. When do we leave again? I will sail Sovereign again..    Arvids',1171231998,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',2401,'eagle_forest',1,76,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(150,163,'7/21/06','My first cruise, and i was awe struck.','My first cruise, and i was awe struck. The embarkation process went pretty quick and i was nowhere near the front of the line. Once on the ship, we went directly to our stateroom to dump off our baggage. When we noticed the door did no open, we went down stairs and got our cards re-scanned, tried the door again, nothing. Now the guest relations desk it only 4 floors down (which isn&#39;t far) i told the manager what was going on, and he said he would send someone up right away. Now by the time i walked up the stairs to the room, there were already 2 maintenance personnel working on the door.....now that&#39;s service. <br /><br /><br />After our door was open we walked around the boat to find points of interest, Bolero&#39;s was by far the hotspot the entire cruise.Then we made our way up to the viking lounge to grab some food around 3pm and had a delicious lunch, which was excellent. We had a few drinks on the sun deck as the ship left port. After that we went to eat dinning in the illusions on deck three, late seating. Two of our table mates never showed up the entire cruise, so it was just me and my girlfriend and Ron and Cathy. Our Ron was a former NYC cop, who moved to Florida to find a less dangerous form of work and Cathy was a local ER Nurse. The lamb shank was great and the key-lime pie you swore your grand mother made it. After dinner, we hit up Bolero&#39;s to watch some karaoke and tried to learn some salsa dancing. <br /><br />On the second day we woke up early to grab some breakfast in the viking lounge, the made to order omelets were very good. We got into the port of Nassau around 11pm it took around 40 mins to clear the ship thru customs. We got off the ship and met up with our shore excursion, Sub-Bahama Adventure. The excursion took the entire day, and it&#39;s true that island drivers are a little crazy. After we arrived, we were surprised to learn since the tour company had alot of people for the excursion, we were offered free snorkeling, which was awesome. The tour company Stuart Cove does most of Hollywood&#39;s shark footage, films like bond, jaws, charlies angels and deep blue are just a few. The guides were knowledgeable and knew where everything is around the island.....from the best fishing, to the best place to find the best coral to where to find the biggest sharks. The personal subs were fun to drive around the coral formations surrounded by colorful fish, it&#39;s truly an experience that shouldn&#39;t be missed. After our tour concluded we went to dinner, and had New York Strip Steaks, and had to leave dinner early because my girlfriend had a migraine. So that night i checked out Bolero&#39;s and the dueling piano&#39;s which as the night progressed, got more hilarious. I would also not missing the dueling piano&#39;s. <br /><br />On the third day we went to coco cay, And did some snorkeling... which was also pretty darn good, we saw all sorts of wildlife from sting rays to barracuda&#39;s. after a few hours of snorkeling we decided to check out the BBQ, which was pretty good, though the ribs were pretty tuff. We did some shopping in their straw market, which was pretty nice. and we decided to check out the islands nature trails, we were surprised by the amount of wild life we saw on the trail, from iguana&#39;s to tiny hermit crabs...if your in the adventurous mood you should check this trial that also leads to more secluded parts of the beach where very few people venture to. After we went back to the boat, we checked out a cake making contest, between the head chef of the boat and two contestants from the crowd, which was pretty funny. later we checked out Bolero&#39;s to watch some karaoke before dinner. We had the Mahi Mahi, which was excellent and for desert i Had lemon ma rang. my girlfriend wanted cheese cake, which she missed the night before, and our wait staff made the difference this night. Our waiter surprised her with a big piece of strawberry cheese cake and it really made her day. The rest of the night was spent shopping for last minute items and you guessed it, we ended up back in Bolero&#39;s for more dualing piano&#39;s. <br /><br />Debarkation was a little slow, but it went smoothly and timely.',1171232257,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',2260,'SKAOLboy',1,94,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(151,163,'8/18/06','We love this ship because it?s only a 45 minute drive to Port Canaveral and the crew is always outstanding.','My DH and I sailed on the Sovereign for our 22nd Anniversary. We sail with most major cruise lines but RCI is our favorite at the moment. We have sailed on the Sovereign 11 times both prior to and after the 2004 redo.  <br /><br /><br />We booked an outside (porthole) cabin on Deck 2. This cruise was discounted heavily and this was the least we have ever paid to sail on this ship. The cabin was well kept and our cabin attendant Sharon Fredrick?s from Trinidad and Tobago was the best&#33; We had no noise issues in this mid ship cabin however our tablemates were forward and heard the anchor.  <br /><br />The ship was in pretty good shape for a short cruise but there has been some new wear and tear since March when I was last aboard her. RCI needs to fix some things. The ship is in the process of getting new bedding. It has been coming from RCI in Miami very slowly. The upper floors are finished but the lower ones are still working on it. We did have a new bedcover and mattress and they were fine.   <br /><br />The food was pretty typical of RCI. I really enjoyed the Shrimp Scampi the first night so our headwaiter Bruno ordered it for us the second night. It was even better&#33; The Windjammer food was boring, pretty much the same station items each day. (Taco bar, salad, same sandwiches each day) We ate once in the Dining room for breakfast and the service and food were good. I had Eggs Benedict and DH French Toast. The desserts were overall very good on this ship. I will say that the food was better than on previous large ship sailings, much easier to cook and serve quality on a smaller ship. We love the smaller ships for this reason. Service was excellent as usual on this ship from the cabin staff to room service. Found several of our previous servers in the bar as well as the dining room and enjoyed visiting with them once again.   <br /><br />We did not go to any shows since we?ve seen them all before. Dueling Pianos in Boleros is always fun&#33; We did go to the Casino nightly and had some fun with the staff, they were great&#33; The first night I couldn?t get to a table after dinner so I put &#036;20 in a quarter machine and about ? way through it, I won &#036;300&#33; Cashed that out quick&#33; LOL I didn?t lose any money this trip. DH lost however. We played Let it Ride, Black Jack, and DH played Caribbean Stud.  <br /><br />We got off the ship in Nassau and walked around for a little while then got back on the ship and spent the entire day together. It was our Anniversary so we enjoyed some quiet time on the ship. We had a lovely Anniversary and we couldn?t have asked for a nicer way to spend a day. We didn?t get off in Coco Cay but we have in previous trips and enjoyed it very much. It was great having an almost empty ship, nice and quiet. We sat on deck 7 (promenade) and chatted with others, read and DH napped of course.   <br /><br />The Crown and Anchor program was very good on this ship. We are Diamond Plus members. There were 7 Diamond plus on the ship. We got welcome back letters from the Guest Relations manager and the hotel manager. We also got a gift of a small cooler and bingo card from the cruise director. Very nice touches we thought and much appreciated. The Loyalty Ambassador was relatively new but she was efficient. <br /><br />We love this ship because it?s only a 45 minute drive to Port Canaveral and the crew is always outstanding.   <br /><br />We booked another sailing for February next year while on board to receive the &#036;50 booking credit.',1171232294,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',334,'sailingrose',1,100,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),(152,163,'9/25/06','over all she is a great ship and will always be a great getaway for a weekend.','being my 6th time on the ship it just gets better and better everytime  <br /><br /><br />the cruise was great as allways  <br /><br />the ship looks good 2years after the refurbishment  <br /><br />the rooms are clean  <br /><br />the food was the best of and other ship i have been on  <br /><br />the entertenment was good but i have seen the shows alot so i was not that   <br /><br />entertained with them. coco cay was very nice and peacefull i just layed out   <br /><br />but there was lots to do if you wanted to.  <br /><br />over all she is a great ship and will always be a great getaway for a weekend.',1171232327,0,'Select a Destination','[-review]rccl.gif',2516,'frostyboy',1,158,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,NULL),