texhockey

I'm going on my first NCL cruise on the Prima next February.  I do have some questions if you don't mind answering.

I'm primarily an RCL cruiser so I can't believe the food can be worse than what they offer but is it worth it to buy extra upcharge dining outside of the 2 we got from the Free at Sea offer?  I will say the menu's I've seen at some of the free venues look pretty good.

Do they offer passes for the Galaxy pavilion where you don't pay per ride?  If they do is the Escape room included with them?

Did the Whiskey bar only serve higher end brands that I would need the upgraded drink package? If you went to the Cigar bar how were the options for their Cigars or should I just plan to bring my own?

Thank you for your review.

44 minutes ago, Colorado Beach Bum said:

Carnival only requires to/from dining table, elevators, show rooms, casino and stores.  Walking around inside on the ship masks are not required. 

Glad I read this. Honestly wasn't sure that was accurate but it is. I verified on Carnival's website. Thanks for the information. 

I had the same thing happen and when I asked for an explanation I was told any casino or VIFP fares are not eligible.  It has made my decision to stop cruising with Carnival an easy one.  December will be my last.  It's too bad as I've always enjoyed sailing with them and I never found them to be "cheap" like a lot of people.  However this one seems a little short sighted.

2 hours ago, jonj said:

Looking at an upcoming 8nt cruise on the app it shows night 5

Mine showed night 5 on the app before the cruise but it was actually night 7 once on the boat.

15 hours ago, rmontanez said:

Thanks for sharing. Was wondering, how many formal nights did the cruise had? And which days?

They had 1 "formal" night on the first sea day and 1 "dress your best" night that I think was on night 7.

14 hours ago, PhoenixCruiser said:

Thanks for your review!

 

Did you go to the spa at all? Trying to find out if they offer a Thermal Suite package. 

They do have a Thermal Spa package.  It was on my list to do a day there but I didn't make it.

This was my second Royal cruise.  It was 8 day Southern Caribbean on the Odyssey of the Seas.  I booked this last minute and went solo for the first time.

I chose this cruise for 2 reasons.  I wanted to go on the Odyssey as it would be my first Quantum class and though I haven't been on an Oasis yet I do have 2 booked for next year.  I also wanted to go the Aruba and Curacao.  

Because of timing of the booking and going solo I chose to roll the dice and fly out the morning of the cruise.  It made me a little nervous but I was on the first direct flight of the day so I wasn't overly worried. I booked my covid test thru CVS for first thing on the Thursday before leaving.  They did cancel on me and left me scrambling to find one at the last minute.  Luckily I found another CVS a little further away that had an available appointment.  I tested negative so I was ready to leave.

Saturday morning came and headed to the airport.  Boarded on time but we were still delayed.  Eventually the pilot came on the intercom to let us know the co-pilot was in an accident that morning and they were finding a replacement.  Luckily there was one already at the airport and we were only delayed 20 minutes of so.

After landing in Ft. Lauderdale I picked up my bags and had a little time to kill before my check-in time.  I found a power outlet and plugged my  phone in.  Met 2 couples who were also going on the cruise and we chatted for a bit before they took off for their check-in.  As my time started approaching I went to the taxi stand.  One was available immediately.  I got in and told him Port Everglades for Royal Caribbean.  He handed me his phone and asked me to put in the address.  I must have gotten the only taxi driver who didn't know how to get to the cruise terminal.  I looked up the address and put it in.  He still missed turns and ramps and we took a long round about way to get to the port and then a few more to get to the ship.

I finally arrived and the check-in process was very easy and quick.  I walked straight on the ship.

What I remember most of my first Royal cruise was the complimentary food was not very good.  I bought the UDP as soon as I booked.  After walking on the ship I went straight to Wonderland and booked all my dinners for the week.  I was able to get times I wanted and reservations for every night I wanted. Teppanyaki twice, Chops twice, Wonderland once, and Giovanni 's once.  I did the MDR twice because I did enjoy the Prime Rib and one day I wasn't sure when I would be able to make dinner because of my Curacao excursion.

At this point I will start making general reviews of different parts of my cruise.  The food, the ship, the entertainment, and the staff.

I will start with the food.  The first night I ate in the MDR. I had the prime rib and apple tart with ice cream for dessert.  I don't remember my appetizer.  The second time I had shrimp cocktail, BBQ ribs, and I don't remember my dessert.  I was not pleased with either dinner.  The meat was not very good.  The MDR service on the other hand was amazing.  The waitstaff was very attentive and friendly.

I didn't know what to expect with Teppanyaki but I was looking forward to it.  I was charged the $10 surcharge as expected.  On land it has always been the show that was incredible and the food is lackluster.  Unfortunately on the ship there is no fire so a lot of the show is limited.  It was still fun though.  The food on the other hand was so much better than I have ever had on land.  The first night I had the tenderloin and shrimp.  The second night I had the tenderloin and lobster.  That let you mix and match your meats and you are not limited to just the combos on the menu.  Both times the tenderloin was cooked perfect to order. I would recommend everyone to try this.  I will definitely be doing it on my next cruise.

I went to Chops not expecting anything close to a land based steakhouse and more like Outback.  I was so happy to be wrong again.  I had the bacon strip as an appetizer the first trip and the shrimp cocktail the second.  I also had the wedge salad both nights.  One night I had the ribeye and then the filet the last trip.  The steaks were perfectly cooked to order and the back and shrimp was fabulous.  I look forward to returning next year.

I've read that Wonderland is an experience not to be missed so I was looking forward to it.  Once again it did not disappoint.  My waiter brought me several appetizers to have before my ribs.  I don't like avocado so the crab one wasn't my thing but everything else was quite good.  My ribs were fall off the bone good.  I know when I go next year with my family this will be the highlight of the cruise.

Giovanni's isn't fair to review as on both my lunch and dinner trip I wasn't particularly hungry.  The meatball was good and the spaghetti was also but I really didn't get to sample everything like I wished.

Playmakers was the venue I was most looking forward to for lunch.  I had several there.  I had the wings a couple of times as well as the Impossible burger a couple of times. The burgers were just as expected and quite tasty.  The fries that came with it were as good as I have had on a ship.  The wings were also quite good.  I also had a sundae a couple of times.  Way too big for one person though.

I tried El Loco for lunch one day and it was ok though I prefer the option that Carnival offers.  I had breakfast in Windjammers on the first and last day.  It was your basic buffet breakfast.  It was nice and large and service was very good.  The other days I had breakfast at the Solarium Bistro.  It was nice because it wasn't crowded and offered everything I look for in a breakfast.  I didn't make it to the 270 cafe and I do regret that as I heard it was a great option for lunch.

The entertainment is really where Royal shines.  I did the comedians, Tap, Showgirls, The Book, and The Effectors.  All were very good I would recommend all of them.  Tap and The Effectors though stood out.  I would happily pay to see both of them.  After seeing Tap all I could think is too bad that was at the beginning of the cruise because there will not be anything close to that the rest of the trip.  Then I saw The Effectors.  It was quite the experience with the lasers, holograms, and drones.  I almost didn't go because it was a 10:15 show and I had to get up early to get off the ship for my excursion.  Best decision I made.  It is without question a must do on this ship.

The ship was beautiful with a lot of options.  There was something for everyone.  I didn't even come close to doing everything I wanted pre-cruise.  I am going to have to book another to hit what I missed.  I will say that the Royal Esplanade seemed really small and I worry that on a full cruise, we only had 1500 people, it would be too crowded.  The elevators were plentiful and I honestly don't think a full ship would be a problem.  The only complaint I had about the pay restaurants on deck 5 was the view out the windows were lifeboats.  

As far as my cabin, I had a standard balcony.  It was quite spacious for me.  The bathroom was tinier than usual.  The size of the shower made up for that.  It was quite large.  Overall I found the bathroom perfect for one person.  I imagine for a couple it might be a little small. There was a large TV in the cabin that I felt was mounted in the perfect place. I tend to sleep with the TV  on and there is a lack of channels as with any cruise ship.  However if you have the Surf & Stream  package you can stream any service you have by casting it from your phone.  It made it much easier for me to sleep.  The internet package was quite good and with the exception of a small storm we went thru on Saturday I barely experienced a hiccup.

The staff on board were top notch.  My room steward was so attentive and always had my room clean.  The waitstaff at every restaurant was wonderful.  You couldn't ask for more with everyone.  I was worried the health protocols would be overbearing.  While they were ever present it wasn't as bad a I expected.  The fact they had Vax only areas where you didn't have to worry about a mask was nice.  Never had to wear one at the shows or casino.  You never had to walk far for sanitizer and my steward made sure I always had a fresh mask.

As much as I hated to leave the ship, it was nice that it took less than 20 minutes from the time they called my number to the time I was in a taxi on my way to the airport.

To sum it all up I would say this was the best cruise I have ever been on.  I have had better cruise vacations thanks to other aspects of the trip but as far as just the cruise portion I haven't had a better time.  I have also decided that the dining package for me is just an automatic buy that I should consider as just part of the cruise fare much as I do with tips.

I also realized that with double points and going solo this trip, that after my Star Class cruises next year I will be Diamond after 4 cruises.  I'm sure I left something out on this review and if you have any question I will be happy to answer.

Thanks

On 10/25/2021 at 3:50 PM, mo&fran said:

Odyssey has 2 wonky elevators, one to get to deck 16 to reach Playmakers , and the other at North Star.  I use a rollator to get around, an old back injury causes a lot of back pain for walking any kind of distance, or standing for any length of time.  

The Playmakers requires you to hold the button to keep the lift moving, and it stopped a couple of times going up.  Fortunately there was a crewmember with us. The trip back down worked well, I guess gravity helps.

The on at North Star was interesting.  There are 2 doors, one on the outside, that a crew member has to open, then the inner door could be opened.  The crewmember who was operating the ride was with us, and when we got off, he pounded on the window to the other crewmember to come open the outer door.

I primarily have issues walking down stairs and on one trip to Playmakers the elevator door wouldn't close and it wouldn't work.  It made it fun having to go down those stairs.

On 10/26/2021 at 9:26 AM, jerseyjjs said:

Question about Playmakers.  Did you happen to check out if they showed most (if not all) of the NFL games?  And as far as seating, was it crowded?.....assuming nobody was able to sit at the bar.  TIA.

They showed all the prime time games and I noticed them showing 2 games during my lunch there on Sunday.  I didn't stick around for the late games but I honestly assumed they showed 2 during that time slot. 

It was not crowed anytime I was there.  I didn't go during the prime time games though, just Sunday for NFL and Saturday for college.  No one was allowed at the bar but they were seated at the bartop facing the big screen across the seaplex.

It was nice that there were USB ports to charge your phone by the booths.

Thanks Russ!  I was looking for exactly this information.

I remember seeing your report on TV when they aired it.  Have really loved your review.  Thank you for getting me excited about my next cruise.

1 hour ago, John&LaLa said:

 

And part time, hobby TA's😉

That sounds like me.

I was wrong the freeplay also has the 1 year sailing limitation.

Not only is it 14 days from booking, the sail date has to be within a year.  So that eliminated my newest cruise.  It looks like the $100 freeplay is 30 days still with no sailing limitation.

Thanks for the replies!  Not sure how many are going to be in our group yet.  Last cruise we had 22 but I'm guessing this one will be closer to 10 maybe.  We are normally a drive to the port kind of group and this time will involve flying into Florida.

This is actually my favorite part, planning everything.  

I've been a regular Carnival cruiser for years and have 1 Royal cruise under my belt.  It was not an enjoyable experience because of circumstances out of Royal's control and what I thought was lackluster food.

The highlight of that trip was the suite and the concierge we had on the Liberty of the Seas.  I am now looking at the Harmony of the Seas and the 2BR Aquatheater suites.  From my understanding the Genie that is part of the Star class suites will make my previous experience look a little bland.  I have also read there seems to be a marked difference depending on the Genie.  

My questions really focus on 2 things.  From my research it appears the there is some subtle difference in the dining package and that the Star class gets some of the upcharged meals, ie the seafood tower, included.  I was wondering if that was actually noted somewhere or is that just something that is done.  The second question is hosting a small party in your suite.  I've read where people talk about the Genie helping arrange one and they would get it stocked with beer and soft drinks but I was reading on Royal's site and it made it sound like that was a special event that was handled via catering with a cost associated.

A third question is in regards to noise in the Aquatheater suites.  I have read differing opinions on the noise level.  Some have said it was bad inside the cabin and others have said that it was only bad when on the balcony.  To be honest it won't stop me from booking that cabin as the noise is absolutely not an issue for me.

One last thing, I would love to hear suggestions of the best use of the Star class perks and how to make the most of the cruise.   I am really looking forward to booking this trip as when I look back on my previous Royal cruise I have come to the conclusion that I really missed out on what should have been a fabulous vacation because of my injuries.  It seems I liked everything about it better than my previous Carnival cruises except the food.

Thanks for reading my rambling.

2 hours ago, Jj343434jj said:

I personally haven’t been on Carnival, but with all the reviews as well as people I’ve talked to agreeing, my wife and I may never try Carnival. Even cruise critic, as well as other websites that “grade” cruise lines, usually have Royal at the top of the list. Of course, reviews can be bias, but when my wife and I cruise, we make a point to ask people about their experience with other cruise lines. You do have some that like Carnival or another cruise line, but the overwhelming majority that have done multiple cruise lines, say the Royal is the best in many ways, including food.

I didn't find Royal head and shoulders above Carnival overall.  I do love Carnival but on most aspects of the actual cruise I found Royal better.  Now some of that might have been the Vista Suite but I am looking forward to going on an Oasis class ship.  That will probably be my next non group cruise with just the family.  I do leave on a Carnival 4 day cruise tomorrow and I am really looking forward to the food after the Royal trip.

1 hour ago, chillyw said:

Very curious about the texhockey name... Who is your team? Is it the Texas Stars in Cedar Park?

Been a Dallas Stars fan since they moved down here.  My daughter also played hockey, inline and ice.  She lives down in Austin and still plays in a couple of leagues as does her husband.

1 minute ago, Host Clarea said:

 

How many in your group?

We had 20 but 3 people didn't want it and I had a free 1 device package.  So everyone who wanted access took part. We were spread across 7 cabins.

We bought 4 4-device packages for our group.  It made the internet package really affordable.  One of the best things we bought on the trip.

8 minutes ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

I am so sorry to hear about all of your troubles.  Do you feel if you took another cruise and did not have the issues before hand or have an injury before the cruise you would have enjoyed the experience?   Maybe I am not reading this correctly--but, it seems the major issue was the food.  [always a personal preference] . . . and you have several positives.  [i.e. The entertainment was much better than Carnival, but you were not able to attend.   That is not really a fault of Royal Caribbean]  

You are absolutely correct.  It is one of the reasons I wanted to wait and write the review.  My last 7 day on Carnival I had a great time and had considered it one of my best but when I looked back on it I realized the actual cruise was nothing special.  The reason I enjoyed it was the excursions and the people with us.  This cruise was just the opposite.  I had a horrible time but when I look back at it, the cruise itself was fine and I honestly feel if I hadn't injured my ankle it would have been awesome except for the food.  My biggest regret was not partaking in more of what was offered.  And of course it could have just been a bad week for the food.

2 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

Thanks for the interesting comparison review.

 

With regard to the VPN, do you recall the type of VPN that worked for you?  I've tried a few without much luck.

We were testing Palo Alto Global Protect at my office.

We went with a small group on the Oct 13 Liberty of the Seas cruise to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica.  This review is a little late.  I wanted to get a little distance from the trip before posting a review.  It was not a good trip and I wanted to make sure I was fair to Royal Caribbean in my review.

I am a long time Carnival cruiser and this was my first RCI cruise.  We chose this cruise for one reason.  The 4BR Vista suite came open and it fit with our time frame.  We had a total of 7 cabins booked for 14 guests and there were 8 of us in the suite.

It has been too long to really go into a lot of details on each day but I wanted to comment on the experience.  I should have known this was not going to be a good trip as several things happened since we first booked. To start with the very next day we booked I suffered a stroke.  Six weeks before the trip I was in an accident that tore up my shoulder requiring surgery. The day before leaving for the cruise I was hit on the way to work. That night I am informed my mother and step-father are not going because he suffered a fall, and no they declined to purchase insurance.  All that being said I was still super excited to go.  I was really excited out the suite and finally getting a vacation after everything that had gone on the previous 18 months. I also injured my ankle on day 1 which really clouded my experience which is primarily why I wanted to have a little time before writing my review.

Instead of giving a more detailed day by day break down of the cruise I am going to just comment on what I liked and disliked about the cruise.  

First the things I really liked.  

1 - The suite experience. It was amazing.  The concierge, Nadja, was completely amazing and spoiled us.  Anything we needed or any issue we had she fixed it.  I can only imaging what a Genie is like on the bigger ships.  We loved and enjoyed the daily happy hour in the lounge and the little extras that came with the cabin.  We had dining room dinner delivered to the room one night which was a nice bonus.

2 - The service elsewhere was outstanding too.  The dining room staff and stateroom attendant were attentive and friendly.  We had My time dining and had the same time reservations every night and the same staff.

3 - I loved the adult pool on the ship.  I am unable to easily get in and out of pools because of my disability but this one had steps and rails to allow me to easily enter and exit.  Loved it.

4 - The quality of the shows was more than one step better than Carnival.  It wasn't even close from what I saw.  The only problem was I didn't get to enjoy them as much as I wanted.  Didn't see any comedians and missed several shows I would have like to see.

5 - The internet service was way better than expected.  Didn't really have any issues all trip.  Several peple streamed football games on their devices.  On Carnival I don't even bother buying service because it barely works.  I was also able to VPN into work the first day and worked that morning with no issues.  I also liked the way they sold the packages.  Better service for a cheaper price because we had so many people and could buy multi-device plans.

The things I didn't like.

1 - The food.  I didn't do any specailty dining outside Johnny Rockets. I didn't have any pizza so I can't comment.  I felt the food in the dining room was bland and really not very good.  The first night what I had was so bad I had to order a grilled cheese sandwich after dinner and even that was undercooked.  I only had one good meal and that was the next to last night.  The prime rib and lobster was very good.  The rest of the nights were edible.  That is the best I can say about it.  Johnny Rockets was a decent hamburger but the fries were not very good.  This was the one place where Carnival definitely has an edge.

Overall I didn't have a great vacation because my ankle injury on top of my disablility issues limited what I could do on the ship.  As great as the cabin was the walk to the elevators was a little too much for me.  Luckily my wife talked me into getting a foot and ankle massage on the next to last day and during the treatment she popped my ankle back into place.  Swelling immediately improved.  I was still sore but it was a major improvement which allowed me to do more the last day.

I am not completely sold on Royal Carribbean but I definitely want to do another one.  I want to do one of the bigger ships and I will just be sure to include the unlimited dining package and just consider it part of the cruise costs.  I also would want to do a suite.  Nadja spoiled me.

Feel free to ask if you have any questions.  Thanks for reading.

Is sports betting available on all their ships?  Do they offer parlay's, money line bets, or over/under or just single game line bets?  This would really make my upcoming cruise way more exciting.

Thanks for your review and I love your website.  I'm in the Villa suite in October so reading about it has been nice.  I have also been experiencing the joys of Royal shore side customer service.  We have 8 in the suite and 14 other right by us and I have been worried about dining. I'm glad to hear the concierge is helpful.  One question that is probably weird,  does the pub have a dart board?  We enjoy that the carnival ships have at least a plastic tip board.  Once again I am enjoying your review.