Rhaspody of the seas

[aboutface]

we have booked on this cruise , so if you do decide to do the same please join us on the "meet & mingle party so far 10 people have registered

[wildweston]

Rhapsody of the Seas is a beautiful ship and have the most fantastic crew

[Tigerman00]

I was told recently by an Officer on Radiance that RCI head office are not sure how the Aussies are going to like the new changes, a lot of public area will be lost this includes, Moonlight Bay and conference rooms, some of the Shall We Dance lounge and half of the Royal Viking lounge. Plus new cabins means more people. He stated that they are already thinking of taking Rhapsody back to the usa if things go sour. He went on to say that don't be surprised to see a Freedom class ship down here for a season or two after the Radiance.

[Vader1111]

Those do not sound like good changes to me. I could live with losing the conference rooms & Moonlight Bay areas, and the Shall We Dance Lounge is massively under-utilised, but I'd hate to see them make the same mistake they did with Radiance when it comes to the Viking Crown Lounge.

[Goldygolfer]

I totally agree with Vader. I have been on the Rhapsody and the Viking Crown Lounge was our favourite bar.

I have also recently been on the Radiance and the partition to create the Diamond Plus lounge looks horrible.

It also takes away the wide-angle vista that used to be the main feature of the Viking Crown Lounge. It was a wonderful place for sailaways (as well as other times). Now the view is only to the right hand side. The view to the left is a very ugly partition wall. :eek:

I sure hope RCI foesn't do this to the Rhapsody, but I fear that they will.

The Diamond Plus Lounge is very important to their US clients.

[wildweston]

I hope they don't wreck a beautiful ship

[chookie65]

I totally agree with Vader. I have been on the Rhapsody and the Viking Crown Lounge was our favourite bar.

I have also recently been on the Radiance and the partition to create the Diamond Plus lounge looks horrible.

It also takes away the wide-angle vista that used to be the main feature of the Viking Crown Lounge. It was a wonderful place for sailaways (as well as other times). Now the view is only to the right hand side. The view to the left is a very ugly partition wall. :eek:

I sure hope RCI foesn't do this to the Rhapsody, but I fear that they will.

The Diamond Plus Lounge is very important to their US clients.

You can see the new deck plans post dry dock on the US RCI website and they are adding a concierge Club in a section of the Viking crown lounge .... And ymany other changes which are displayed on each deck. Seems like all good additions and not too many new cabins from what I can work out. The Aussie website doesn't display the decks anymore so we wait.

 

If you have a cabin on deck 8 in the aft section you should check out where you are now located as the cabin numbers have moved due to some new cabins that have been added that have impacted the numbering!!!

 

I'm waiting to find out if RCI are going to give me my cabin location back ... And unfortunately the US office is in control of this!!!! I've been waiting since Monday via my TA to get my location back as my original cabin was centre aft 8094 which is now located on the side .... And the new cabin number is 8102 !!!! It's very frustrating.

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

Well said about Rhapsody, she's a lovely ship, I agree. Has a warm and friendly feel about her.

Each time we've stepped aboard we've liked her just as much as the previous time.

 

I know within the fleet the crew don't like her as much. The Brilliance of the Seas seems to be the favourite of the crew to work on.

 

Jilly:)

[wildweston]

Well said about Rhapsody, she's a lovely ship, I agree. Has a warm and friendly feel about her.

Each time we've stepped aboard we've liked her just as much as the previous time.

 

I know within the fleet the crew don't like her as much. The Brilliance of the Seas seems to be the favourite of the crew to work on.

 

Jilly:)

Do you know why they prefer Brilliance? and do you know if they get to choose the ship they want to go on or they haven't any choice at all. :)

[The_Big_M]

and do you know if they get to choose the ship they want to go on or they haven't any choice at all. :)

 

Sort of. Generally, they apply for it for their next contract when their contract finishes. However, acceptance is based on demand and supply, timing and ratings. They're not employees so it's not like they can either be posted anywhere at the lines control nor their own - they're basically just applying for another job.

[Vader1111]

You can see the new deck plans post dry dock on the US RCI website and they are adding a concierge Club in a section of the Viking crown lounge .... And ymany other changes which are displayed on each deck. Seems like all good additions and not too many new cabins from what I can work out. The Aussie website doesn't display the decks anymore so we wait.

What a monumental screw-up they've made of the re-design.

 

They're chopping the port 1/3 of the Viking Crown lounge off, turning it into the Concierge Club. The logical thing would have been to use the area above & behind the Viking Crown lounge instead (which is rarely used at present).

 

Moonlight Bay gets replaced by Chops Grille. Unnecessary, but if you're going to chop off part of the public space I guess this under-used section of the ship is the obvious one. At least the Viking Lounge still offers a quiet place to go for respite.. oh, wait a minute!

 

The Schooner Bar, which was already too small for the trivia competitions held there, becomes even smaller so they can add Giovanni's Table. Another bad move.

 

The Diamond Club goes in the aft/port corner of the Shall We Dance Lounge. To be fair, this lounge is rarely used - particularly in comparison with the Colony Club on Radiance. I think they would have been better off adding a bar, like Singapore Slings (on Radiance).. but if they're going to put the Diamond Club somewhere then I guess this is the least worst option.

 

I was planning on sailing on the Rhapsody in October. I'm beginning to have second thoughts now, given that they're destroying so many of the ship's best features.

[wildweston]

Sort of. Generally, they apply for it for their next contract when their contract finishes. However, acceptance is based on demand and supply, timing and ratings. They're not employees so it's not like they can either be posted anywhere at the lines control nor their own - they're basically just applying for another job.

 

Thanks for your reply :)

[Lastdrinks]

We are booked on Rhapsody 9 night 23 Jan 2013 dep Sydney - South Pacific, and I cant wait! I've started a roll call thread if anyone is coming on the same cruise.

 

Where is the best spot to be on sailaway? Im assuming sailaway is from OPT.

Do many people use the library onboard? I would think people would be out enjoying the fun in the sun rather than be in the library. Unless its raining what am missing out on?

Also what shouldn't I miss on board Rhapsody, is there something that I just have to do or see?

 

Janine :)