Odyssey of the Seas-does the good outweigh the bad?

[ajtaylor29]

We sailed Odyssey in January and it was our first experience with a star-class suite. SO, we definitely had some different experiences than our normal cruising since we had such great service, all specialty dining included (so we never ate in WJ or MDR). Even tho we loved our cruise, and considering the star-class experience which we loved of course, here were some reasons that this wasn't our favorite ship:

All Star class suites are at the back of the ship. We had a royal loft suite, which was amazing with an amazing balcony, BUT there are no elevators or stairs on the back third of the ship, so we had a long walk back and forth to our cabin all week. It was good getting the exercise but at times I wished it were more convenient to pop in to our cabin for something.

 

I agree about the elevator buttons. It wasn't THAT bad, but it took some practice to master and we also had a few accidentally pressed buttons.

 

We didn't love the location of Coastal Kitchen on this ship (right outside the WJ). We only ate in there twice since we had all the other specialty restaurants available but both times we ate there it was empty. Totally different experience on Symphony, where CK is always busy and is in a great location. I think having it down a hall on the way to WJ and feeling very closed off just made it not that appealing.

 

The casino did seem small for such a big ship. I didn't find a lot of VP machines that i like, so that could have been better.

 

On the positive side - we loved Playmakers on this ship! We did North Star, I-Fly and the VR experience (all thanks to our genie who walked us in to these things - i probably wouldn't have tried I-Fly or VR on my own, but he encouraged me to try them and i actually had a blast!) We liked the shows. I liked the solarium, we enjoyed sail-away from there since it was a little chilly leaving Ft Lauderdale, and the panoramic view was great!

 

We've been on Symphony twice and I much preferred it to Odyssey. The layout on Odyssey just seemed a little odd. We're about to try Allure and looking forward to it. For reference, we've also sailed on smaller ships and loved them too....We basically love all of our cruises!! If the right itinerary at the right time pops up, would i sail Odyssey again? Absolutely!!!

 

[basenji56]

59 minutes ago, rolloman said:

I agree with Pandamonia...what pros??? People touched the buttons anyway...so yeah..it is a non-working gimmick to make a few people feel better. Reminds me of the time a friend of mine told me his wife always complained about the house being too hot or too cold. So he put in a fake thermostat...each night she would go over to it and move the dial...and then proclaim how much more comfortable she was. 

 I don't see the bad elevator button design as a pro.  I meant the rest of the ship.  I would not let elevator button design cause me to cancel a cruise.

 

[ATG]

2 hours ago, mafig said:

Considering Odyssey for a Jr. Suite (the one with two bathrooms) in November.  

Any opinions of that category room and that time of year.  We would avoid Thanksgiving week.

 

Also, would try to get CK for dinner a few times and then some Specialty to avoid that 5 PM dinner time.  What are they thinking?  

We had the one with a separate shower and tub.  It seemed like I was always going from one to the other.  But that wasn’t a big thing.  We loved the room and the location.  More than enough storage and plugs.

 

I agree with everyone about the elevator buttons.  Great idea but just doesn’t work.

 

We liked the music hall.  Cafe Promenade was small.  Cafe 270 was great but only open sometimes.  The Book was one of the best shows I have seen.

 

All in all, a great cruise (last January).  But, I also prefer Oasis class.  We’re booked on Anthem next year for 3 weeks - our 50th anniversary celebration.  It was picked for the itinerary.

[Mikew0805]

13 hours ago, rolloman said:

Thanks for your opinion...I too have spent my share of time in the casino...last year alone I went on 11 casino royale cruises on multiple ships...so...machines like Scarab, the Devil Wicked Wheels, Tiki's, Captain Riches, Golden Egypt, Rich little pigs... just to name a few...all missing...matter of fact...I found it to be a small casino. Fact is...for whatever reason...It did not pay out like normal on "this cruise"...maybe you should be glad you were not on it. 

Probably so. Two out of four times I was on it, the casino sucked. I just happen to really like the ship. I have only seen those baby devils on Indy & Mariner. The other variations of Wicked Wheel were on the Odyssey, they just happened to suck when I was there. Anyway, I just mentioned all the ones I mostly play were there. I did see a video recently that looks like they moved some machines around. I have been on 36 cruises since the restart, and unfortunately the last 6 months with all these new machines coming in (don't get me wrong I like a lot of them) the older less volatile machines are being moved out. I really like a balance of low & high volatility slots when I play, and that is becoming harder and harder to find. This upcoming year will likely be the last year I am Masters due to these changes. I just can't keep myself interested quite as long. 

 

 

[zoepipes]

14 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

Yea, I hated the elevators.

 

Loved everything else

 

FWIW, I can't believe one ships casino payouts are statistically different from another.

We were on the ship in January and came out winners in the Casino 🙂 I guess that's why they call it gambling.

 

Edited March 21, 2023 by zoepipes

[Tiggerontheseas]

1 hour ago, Pandamonia said:

 

What pros?

 

Touchless systems are a gimmick. If you dont touch the lift controls then you will touch something else equally dirty..... 

 

Hand rails

drinks handled by bar staff

chairs

drinks dispensers 

food serving spoons

tables

 

Any surface can be made anti bacterial and anti viral by a simple nano coating. I have one. The cruise lines were not interested or bothered. If you think they care about your health.. they dont... they just care about $$$ 

 

Touchless controls are a cheap gimmick to fool dumb people in to thinking they are safer

 

I think you might have misread the post - basenji56 was listing the elevator buttons as a con, not a pro.  

[rolloman]

2 minutes ago, zoepipes said:

We were on the ship in January and came out winners in the Casino 🙂 I guess that's why they call it gambling.

 

I am sure there are plenty who played 20 bucks and won 30 then ran out of the casino proclaiming a windfall. 😁

[rolloman]

One other item of note...we all know the cheese plate is gone from the classic menu but they took it a step further on this ship...the cheddar cheese is now a soft processed cheese similar to the old Kraft orange slices that do not melt in a fire. So be alert if you are getting orange cheese on a sandwich or some slices in the buffet...it may not be what you expect. 

[zoepipes]

Loved the Two70 area - 

[zoepipes]

7 minutes ago, rolloman said:

I am sure there are plenty who played 20 bucks and won 30 then ran out of the casino proclaiming a windfall. 😁

Any time I walk out of there with more than I brought in, I'm happy 🙂 

[basenji56]

12 minutes ago, Tiggerontheseas said:

 

I think you might have misread the post - basenji56 was listing the elevator buttons as a con, not a pro.  

Definitely not a pro.  But not a deal breaker.

[MommaBear55]

I sailed the Odyssey last fall in Italy and Greece, I'd have to say the good far outweighed the bad because we loved everything except the food at Giovanni's.  We're looking forward to the TA this Fall

[Tiggerontheseas]

38 minutes ago, basenji56 said:

Definitely not a pro.  But not a deal breaker.

 

Totally.  

[Sigyn]

15 hours ago, RRTcruiser said:

My wife leaned too close to the elevator floor panel one time, needless to say we got a lot of cold stares on that ride because it caused every floor to be selected.

Did it look like a Christmas tree?

[bajathree]

3 hours ago, rolloman said:

Omg...can't believe I didn't see you in there...of course it has been a few years since I last met you. I saw one big hit on the Wheel of fortune...three 5X pay symbols and he won 5K...outside of that...brutal...for an 8 night cruise there should have been considerably more action. Now that you say it was not an anomaly actually bums me out further lol.

I know...wish we met up again to say hello. I saw one BIG hit for $25K...women won the grand on a $3.50 bet. The only other hand pay I saw was for $2200 on a $50 bet and the guy was complaining away that he can't believe thats all he got for betting $50/spin. I was friendly with a couple that was down over $7K by mid-week....never anything close to a hand pay for either him or his wife. I watched the major grow on those tweety games by the bar all week ...the lock and link machines just sat there and grew and grew all week.....people threw tens of thousands combined into those machines....watched people throw in thousands in a sitting......in 8 nights that casino closed down without paying out the major....thats unheard of. There is also a sign in the casino that said they reserve the right to reset the machines after each sailing.....so that grand that was over $2400 after 8 nights playing gets wiped out for the current sailing.....thats like stealing IMHO. Shame on Royal....that casino made them a fortune on that sailing and they kept the majority. One night I walked to the cage to cash out a ticket and they had stacks piled high of $100 bills wrapped in $5k wrappers....I mean stacks and stacks ....all from what was taken in that one day or part of that one day I am guessing.

Edited March 21, 2023 by bajathree

[bajathree]

1 hour ago, rolloman said:

I am sure there are plenty who played 20 bucks and won 30 then ran out of the casino proclaiming a windfall. 😁

Absolutely...heard that exact thing many times from people....I played $30 and was up to $50 and ran...or I played $10 and walked away with $30.

[NightOne]

16 hours ago, rolloman said:

..machines like Scarab, the Devil Wicked Wheels, Tiki's, Captain Riches, Golden Egypt, Rich little pigs... just to name a few...all missing...

 

Awesome because every one of those machines suck ... especially the Piggies one LOL

 

[rolloman]

40 minutes ago, bajathree said:

I know...wish we met up again to say hello. I saw one BIG hit for $25K...women won the grand on a $3.50 bet. The only other hand pay I saw was for $2200 on a $50 bet and the guy was complaining away that he can't believe thats all he got for betting $50/spin. I was friendly with a couple that was down over $7K by mid-week....never anything close to a hand pay for either him or his wife. I watched the major grow on those tweety games by the bar all week ...the lock and link machines just sat there and grew and grew all week.....people threw tens of thousands combined into those machines....watched people throw in thousands in a sitting......in 8 nights that casino closed down without paying out the major....thats unheard of. There is also a sign in the casino that said they reserve the right to reset the machines after each sailing.....so that grand that was over $2400 after 8 nights playing gets wiped out for the current sailing.....thats like stealing IMHO. Shame on Royal....that casino made them a fortune on that sailing and they kept the majority. One night I walked to the cage to cash out a ticket and they had stacks piled high of $100 bills wrapped in $5k wrappers....I mean stacks and stacks ....all from what was taken in that one day or part of that one day I am guessing.

Shocking...I knew something just was not right....As for the 25K...nice but guaranteed visit to customs at debarkation with that one....

[rolloman]

31 minutes ago, NightOne said:

 

Awesome because every one of those machines suck ... especially the Piggies one LOL

 

Well Carl...they may suck...but at least they are fun and I don't have to speak chinese to play them.

[Pandamonia]

People seriously think the casino is a place to make a profit? 🤣 

 

I always thought they be light entertainment as best. 

[Dickfey]

How about the need to walk thru not one but TWO restaurants to get from front to back? Weird! We will stick with Oasis class.

[BecciBoo]

What bad???

[NightOne]

1 hour ago, rolloman said:

Well Carl...they may suck...but at least they are fun and I don't have to speak chinese to play them.

 

Not fun either. Scarab was fun for a little while a few years ago. Good riddance.

[basenji56]

3 hours ago, MommaBear55 said:

I sailed the Odyssey last fall in Italy and Greece, I'd have to say the good far outweighed the bad because we loved everything except the food at Giovanni's.  We're looking forward to the TA this Fall

I love the Odyssey.  Is Anthem much different?  I just booked a TA on Anthem for next Spring.

[MommaBear55]

3 minutes ago, basenji56 said:

I love the Odyssey.  Is Anthem much different?  I just booked a TA on Anthem for next Spring.

We have done the Anthem multiple times and love it. They have Jamie's, which we much prefer over Giovanni's. Otherwise equally as nice

Edited March 21, 2023 by MommaBear55