Just Returned From Rhapsody Of The Seas July 17- July 24

[DJ TOM]

Beatle Mania Live was Friday night , also I dont know about damage at Panhos in Cozumel. Remember if you go to Cozumel my cruise was barely a week after Hurricane Emily so were affected by the rain (possibly remnants and the damage at Chakaamab affected my excursion. I did talk to a local who saidthe other side of the Island really got hit hard. In Grand Catman there are still people rebuildding and putting things back together from Hurrican Charlie last year.

[Lightsluvr]

Has anyone had a JS on Rhapsody? We are sailing on her in January and wonder what to expect. This will be our first JS.

 

Lightsluvr

[vickiw0318]

We will be in 8558 in October - our second JS. We loved the first one (8026) - loved the extra room and the views of the ocean. Pictures on the various websites all seem accurate. We probably do spend a bit more time in the room than some others do, so we enjoyed our balcony. With two grown children at home (both are leaving soon) and four pets, it's nice to have some time alone. I also enjoy having a tub.

 

Guess that's what I like about cruising - I can have down time if I so desire, or plenty of activity if I so desire.

 

I have not been in a standard balcony room, so have no point of comparison there. When we went back to a OV on the Elation last September, I really felt the difference.

[wolfganghowell]

We have stayed in a junior suite and splurged last year for the grand suite. The junior suite is nice - good sized balcony if you want to hang there for a bit. The bathroom is small but I like having a bathtub. The use of space in the room is very good - closet space and storage is organized pretty well.

 

thanks for the review - I'm not really into too many shows on a cruise (feels too much like work for me - I work in entertainment) but I hope the Beatles show is still there - that sounds fun. Also plan on checking out Derek if he is still there. I did Cheeseburger in Paradise with him last year on the pool deck so would like to see his famous (or infamous) show!

[BonnieNYTX]

Yes, it was probably Peter the cruise director when you were onboard. Did he have a really english accent and say "Cherrio" alot. The word I was just hearing about Dan Dan The Party man was that he had just gotten on board a week earlier.

 

Also the adventure ocean kids did a cute little pirate routine, i wish I would have had my video camera ready. I dont remember which night that was but it was the night where they did a salute to Grease, Tommy the movie, Hair, and the kids performed right before the show. Have those video cameras ready.

 

I also attended the Liar's Club game , belly flop competition, and Qwest in the Shall We Dance Lounge and enjoyed both of those events

 

The cruise director on the Rhapsody for the July 3-10 cruise was not Peter with a british accent. I forgot his name but he was from Alabama and never said cheerio. LOL He was not as terrific as the previous cruise directors we had on other ships but that's just MHO. Hammish from I think Jamaica was the guy who was always interacting with the passengers and very much in evidence all over the ship. For a while I even thought HE was the cruise director. Very high energy and got the passengers active and hopping.

[FWCruiser]

DJ Tom - we too have just returned from the Rhapsody. I am now suffering from the post-cruise blues! It was a fabulous cruise. I totally agree with Tom's review. Everything was great from embarkation to disembarkation (WELL..it wasn't great to disembark but it was remarkably smooth!) We had the best waitress (Lipika from India). Dan Dan the Party Man and his crew were unbelievable. I truly don't think they sleep!

 

My only (slight) disappointment was the stop in Cozumel. I know the rain was completely out of RCI's control (:rolleyes: ) BUT even if it hadn't been raining the shops had only auxiliary power and there were only 2 beaches open after Emily. SO if it hadn't been raining with 4 ships in port those 2 beaches would have been packed anyway. I wish RCI would have stopped elsewhere...but that is my only complaint. It was fun to watch the folks rushing back from the bars racing to the Rhapsody and the Mariner. I wondered if anyone accidently got on the wrong ship!

 

We loved everything about the Rhapsody and would sail her again in a heartbeat.

(Tom - I too noticed fingerprints all over the balcony door BUT the culprit was my son! We never had spare toiletries in our room either....nor did my parents next door but our room steward did a good job and if we needed anything he got it for us. The towel animals (and person!) were a huge hit with the kids!)

 

Wish I were planning the next cruise!

[Cruise Cat]

We're on Rhapsody in September, and now I'm really excited. A BEATLEMANIA show???!!! I guess that will still be playing when we go?? I didn't really plan on going to any of the shows until I heard this. What night was it? Thanks.

 

LLECAMUS - Click on the Roll Call link in my signature and say hello to all the people sailing with you.

 

Bonnie - Check your Compasses (probably first day) and it will show the cruise director. There was probably a picture of him and a short bio on the back page of one of them.

[matt082600]

DJ Tom:

 

I had "Dan, Dan, the party man" as my cd twice on Empress of the Seas (then Nordic Empress) He was absolutely fantastic! Very funny and visible.

[DJ TOM]

Dan Dan The Party man and his staff really work hard, I dont remmeber all of their names but the ones i do remember are Hammish, Luka, Brad, DJ Alberto, and they all work so hard and I read earlier where someone wonders when they sleep. I am one of those people who wonder that, the current cruise director and entertainment staff seem to go from one event to the next all day and deep into the night each and every day of the cruise. Anybody going on Rhapsody will really enjoy them and i cant say enough about Derek Lewis. If you like Karaoke then you will really enjoy the schooner each night with Derek Lewis. I had a blast and am thinking about when I can return for another RCCL cruise.

[jwlane]

Dan Dan The Party man

I wondering if he's a "floating" CD, moving around from ship to ship while others are on vacation. He came onboard Rhapsody last January the week before our cruise, but later I read someone else was CD a few weeks later.

[BonnieNYTX]

LLECAMUS - Click on the Roll Call link in my signature and say hello to all the people sailing with you.

 

Bonnie - Check your Compasses (probably first day) and it will show the cruise director. There was probably a picture of him and a short bio on the back page of one of them.

 

I gave all my compass sheets to my friend to look at her leisure. She was on Tom's cruise July 17-24. She loved it in spite of the rain. I did call to ask who the CD was for my cruise and she said it was Jimmy from Alabama who said no he wasn't Todd Bridges from the show Different Strokes. They really did look similar. Wonder what happened to him because I don't think he was on the cruise prior to mine (July 3-10). Anyway it will be fun to compare my compass activities with hers two weeks later.

[TXSailor]

Hi Everyone:

 

Its nice to see familiar names in this thread: Maximo, DJ Alberto, Lipika. Anyone know if Marva is on the ship? She should be back onboard by now.

 

On our cruises on the Rhapsody the last 12 months, we have been taken care of by: (based on memory)

 

Waiters: Amal, Maximo, Lipika, Dinish, Gabriel, and some others I don't remember. The ones listed above are absolutely the best...Wonder if RCI sets this up intentionally for repeat customers....giving us the best waiters?

 

Stateroom Attendants: Stacey(Deck 7), Leslie (Deck 8), Ansonia(Deck 8), Marva (Deck 8), Debbie (Deck 8)

 

Bartenders: Its hard to remember....wonder why? Mainly Paul English and Frankie.

 

DJs: Johnnie, Marco and Alberto.

 

Cruise Directors: Chris(from Texas), Goos "Gustav", and Peter Benfield "Cherrio".

 

I miss all of these people. When I am on board, we all see eachother and talk and laugh...they are like my extended family and friends. Our waiter from our June 2004 cruise remembered us 5 months later....and he remembered us by name. This is what makes the Rhapsody special. I'm beginning to think that some crew members have photographic memory.

 

Day after tomorrow and I'm off to Carnival's Ecstasy.....I know, it isn't Rhapsody but it is still a cruise. Actually, this is a temporary fix until we get back on the Rhapsody in Sept.

 

Fausto

[DolphinDi]

Last year my cabin Steward was Stevie from St. Vincent and I looked for him till I found on the 8th deck forward because i wanted to say hello. It was great to see him and he remembered us. And he made an effort to stop by our cabin #7652 where was our steward last year to say HI.

 

Last Sept we were in 8506 and Stevie was our steward. Awesome guy. We wanted to take him home with us.

[GBelle]

We'll be on the Rhapsody in December and have heard there is a climbing wall on it. Can someone who is a recent cruiser on this ship answer this question? Also, is there a basketball court?

 

Thanks.

[FWCruiser]

GBelle - There is a rock climbing wall on the sports deck (10 I believe). My 6 year-old ds made it look so easy I gave it a try.... You have to have socks but they supply the shoes and other equipment.

 

I don't remember a basketball court - maybe someone else can help you with that!

 

Have a great time!:) :) :)

[DolphinDi]

We'll be on the Rhapsody in December and have heard there is a climbing wall on it. Can someone who is a recent cruiser on this ship answer this question? Also, is there a basketball court?

 

Thanks.

As of Sept '04 there wasn't a basketball court.

[Cruise Cat]

Since I did not want to be one to fall victim to bad service and I am staying in the same cabin, I contacted RCCL the other day and quoted and gave them a link to this thread with the expectation that I would not be tolerating such lack of effort from "Billy". Got a reply back today that the informatio has been forwarded to the appropriate personnel.

Again, thanks for the review of my future cabin!:D

Chuck

[Terrieb400]

My husband ( I call him Superman) and I are traveling on Rhapsody in Nov as well. What date are you going. We are going the 13th. This is our first cruise and I am having a blast just reading other peoples post. I think I really like this web site :)

[lindnet]

Hey GBelle, when in December are you going?

[VCruisers]

Were on the 13th of Nov??? Are you traveling with your children?:)

Hi DJ Tom!

 

We're in #7652 in Nov. I hope they have the room cleaned up by then!

[Oma24boys]

Were on the 13th of Nov??? Are you traveling with your children?:)

 

VCruiser:

 

I beleive Lisa is traveling with her toddler daughter and young son...

 

Have you signed up for the Meet & Mingle? The sign up link is at the end of my signature...:)

[DJ TOM]

Chuck - Hi, Would you mind sharing you emails with rccl with me regarding thiis. I had a great cruise and I know by far RCCL is the best. In regards to Billy he was super nice, oddly we hardly ever saw him, usually I have known cabin stewards to be around alot, but as mentioned these were little things I noticed and in no way did it take away from my spectacular cruise aboard Rhapsody. I am anxious for another RCCL or Rhapsody cruise. It was irritating not having a cruise compass but I just walked to get one myself from the 5th deck midship. Toilet paper when I saw the toilet paer getting low I hoped it would be replenished when the room was serviced. Upon return I saw that it was not and I located toilet paper myself from the nearest stewards cart. For whatever reason my sinuses were acting up so I was using lots off kleenex, as I was running out I found some on a stewards cart. The cigarrette butts I was shocked to see but I disposed of them. It must get a little wind during storms on the balcony because one morning I came out and discovered a balcony chair totally tipped over. I think Heather in the Rccl Singers & Dancers is way beautiful and she sings really nicely. Overall it was an awesome cruise.

[Cruise Cat]

Tom,

 

I kept the note I sent them rather lite. I refered to your experience and said that I am expecting better service than you had and that I was confident they would address this before I got onboard. I feathered it not knowing if you had boarded early the first day or not. They sent me a kind of canned reply thanking me for my feedback and that it has been forwarded to the appropriate department. I didn't want to come across heavy handed or anything, but I did want them to know I would be watching this and that a bad customer service experience had the potential to affect the way I tip everyone. What I didn't say is that I basically always tip the minimum, but may not tip anybody over the minimum if someone put me a a foul mood.

[lisaland15]

VCruisers--Yes, Robin has it right. Our daughter will be 27 mos. (3rd cruise) and our son will be 10 (7th cruise).