Rhapsody 3/4-3/11 - Just Back

[ravenlair]

Just back from Rhapsody 3/4-3/11. I had done no research on this ship, in that we (myself and cousin) were supposed to go out the previous day (Saturday 3/3) on Splendour...my cousin forgot to pack her passport (DUH?!) and it was sitting in her desk drawer in California...this after her having cruised many many times...must be the start of senility setting in :-)....long story short...she paid ALOT of money to have Fedex pick-up her passport in California on Saturday night and deliver to Galveston area Sunday afternoon. The only reason to do even THAT was because after many many hours spent Saturday afternoon/evening speaking with RCI guest relations, we were booked into the only remaining cabin on Rhapsody the following day (3/4)...permission granted to re-open manifest....etc etc. To make a VERY long story short...if you screw up, as my couson did, don't EXPECT anything, but try try try to get someone on the phone who seems to WANT to help you. If you call guest relations more than once, you generally get a different person, and some try harder than others. WE screwed up, and RCI guest relations came through for us, when they absolutely did not have to do anything. And boy am I glad they did, because this wound up being one of my favorite cruises EVER. Will follow with cruise review shortly...

[morebeaches]

I look forward to your review

[ravenlair]

Having done no research on Rhapsody (ie. Cruisecritic lurking) I walked onto her with no knowledge of her. And my impression was, and remains, that she is beautiful. We were on deck 8, junior suite, and the room was completely redone with new drapery, linens, and carpet. Our room steward, Dean, could not have been more wonderful. I slept like a baby every night on new bedding.

 

Our original table assignment was a bit of a dud, so we looked over available seats with Asst. Maitre'd? Colin and found a table of mothers and daughters with whom to sit for the remainder of the cruise. I'm a firm believer that ones table mates and add so much to a cruise, and certainly did in this case. The food in the main dining room was delicious, and the service impressive (Table 44- Thanks Morgan). The Winjammer served it's purpose, there was plenty of good food for lunch from which to choose. We had breakfast in the cabin/balcony which consisted of coffee, fruit, and breads. I use the breakfast room service "pre-call" as my alarm clock..."Ma'am, you're breakfast is on the way" :-) I was on Carnival Inspiration 4 night cruise 3 weeks earlier and found the food/service on her to be, at best, decent banquet food...and the dinner service WAY too rushed...that was MY experience. So I was so pleased to have delicious food, with gracious service, on Rhapsody.

[alwalaska]

Sounds wonderful and I am glad you were able to get things worked out. I am always so paranoid of forgetting something important.

 

Did you by chance take pictures of the new menus? Or have any information to share about them?

[ravenlair]

As stated, our table mates were two groups, one group of sisters in their 50s with one sister's two daughters in their 30s, the other group was two mothers in their 50's with their respective daughters in their mid 20s. It was through these two daughters that we were kept abreast of the young crowd's "goings on". I am in my early 40s, my cousin in her early 50s, and their was plenty of "goings on" in our age group also :-) The crowd on this ship was particularly charming, and of course, specific to this particular cruise. There was a very small contingent of "spring breakers" and they were most obvious early in the cruise. Never out of hand, with maybe one exception (poor girl), and fun to watch and remember the "good old days". The one exception was a young girl whose friends should have taken better care of her...but instead she got stupid drunk, and made some bad choices early in cruise and earned many a nickname from fellow passengers. At it turned out (again, we got the inside scoop from our "young friends") this girl was only 20, and her friends were getting her the drinks. The ship's management came down VERY hard on these friends and her antics came to halt. One of her friends had to go to the medical center for two bags of IV fluid for dehydration...it was their first cruise...and I believe lessons were learned.

 

The other stand-out passengers included a darling couple, one half of which was "Baby Joe Mesi" a boxer of some importance. He was absolutely gorgeous, with his equally beautiful and sweet girlfriend. They could not have been more fun, partaking of the ship's activities each day and evening ( he's also a fabulous singer!)

 

Then there was our ship's goodwill ambassador. First time cruiser, and charming, if tipsy, Woody. It is a good bet that almost EVERYBODY on this cruise, yes EVERYBODY, had some interaction with this particular passenger. A late 40s, boyish, charismatic dynamo. He was everywhere, charming everyone from 80 year old ladies on the dance floor, to charming each and every passenger that passed his way. I can't imagine he annoyed anyone, but some people are easily annoyed ;-)

 

Overall, a very easy going group of people. Children/teenagers kept entertained/supervised enough that they did not deter. I've been on other cruises where teenagers were sitting in the elevators munching on pizza!

 

Bravo to the staff/crew for keeping the fun going, while curtailing any unfortunate excesses.

[ravenlair]

Sounds wonderful and I am glad you were able to get things worked out. I am always so paranoid of forgetting something important.

 

Did you by chance take pictures of the new menus? Or have any information to share about them?

 

The very last thing I do before leaving home for the airport before a cruise is physically TOUCH/PUT MY HANDS ON my birth certificate and driver's license (have to get that passport now that this cruise is over and next is a few months away). The sadder story was the poor lady who was attempting to board ship with the same HOSPITAL issued birth certificate she has used for YEARS while cruising. They absolutely refused to board her without a STATE issued birth certificate. She and her husband said goodbye to the rest of their family reunion cruisers as they tearfully left the cruise terminal. Our situation just took ALOT of perseverence and ALOT of money to make right, albeit a day later. But we had the passport...it was just 1500 miles away, lol.

 

As for the menu...I forgot my camera!!!! I have pics being sent to me from another cruiser, I'll check if any are of the menus. As for what I can remember, the menus themselves are beautiful...just know that they have multiple flaps for different courses...I learned this on 4th night! lol. I'm trying to remember the stand-out dishes, but they were all so equally delicious, seriously! There was a scallop rissoto (starter) that was amazing...lamb shank that fell off the bone, melt in your mouth wonderful...escargot that was quickly eaten in order to get the "real deal" which is dipping bread into the garlic butter...I wish I had more details for you...

[alwalaska]

The very last thing I do before leaving home for the airport before a cruise is physically TOUCH/PUT MY HANDS ON my birth certificate and driver's license (have to get that passport now that this cruise is over and next is a few months away). The sadder story was the poor lady who was attempting to board ship with the same HOSPITAL issued birth certificate she has used for YEARS while cruising. They absolutely refused to board her without a STATE issued birth certificate. She and her husband said goodbye to the rest of their family reunion cruisers as they tearfully left the cruise terminal. Our situation just took ALOT of perseverence and ALOT of money to make right, albeit a day later. But we had the passport...it was just 1500 miles away, lol.

 

As for the menu...I forgot my camera!!!! I have pics being sent to me from another cruiser, I'll check if any are of the menus. As for what I can remember, the menus themselves are beautiful...just know that they have multiple flaps for different courses...I learned this on 4th night! lol. I'm trying to remember the stand-out dishes, but they were all so equally delicious, seriously! There was a scallop rissoto (starter) that was amazing...lamb shank that fell off the bone, melt in your mouth wonderful...escargot that was quickly eaten in order to get the "real deal" which is dipping bread into the garlic butter...I wish I had more details for you...

 

Oh, what a bummer for that couple. I guess a passport is a safer way to go. We ordered a new birth certificate for my DH before our first cruise since his was from CA in the days before the colored or raised seal. I didn't want to take any chances, so we ordered a new one.

 

The food sounds wonderful. Thank you for sharing what you remember. What is the scallop rissoto? I don't usually like scallops, but ...

[ravenlair]

My cousin and I had a pretty consistent routine, so I can share those aspects of the entertainment that we experienced. Any time that the pool band, Heat Wave, was playing, you are assured of exceptional reggae music. After many cruises, these bands tend to all sound alike, but in my opinion Heat Wave stands out as having particularly good vocals/intrumentation and energy. There was very little dancing poolside on this particular cruise, but the music itself was a wonderful background to enjoying the pool deck. I bought their CDs and listened all the way home from the airport last night (I live two hours from nearest airport)...listening extended my cruise that little bit :-)

 

Poolside games were fun, with the Cruise Director Chris, making a particularly good show. I found him to be genuine, and very good at his job. Lots of times in the past I've felt cruise directors to be performing their schtick as if by rote. Chris was unlike this in that he seemed to directly interacting vs. going through the motions. Three cheers for Chris!

 

My cousin and I bought a "horse" for the last sea day's "owner's race". We did not win, but having each invested $50 for the $100 winning bid for horse #3 (GO Bad Kitty!!!) it was well worth it for the amount of fun involved in being an "owner".

 

Our pre-dinner cocktails were had in the Champagne Bar area that adjoins the Centrum Lobby area where each night we were fabulously entertained with whomever was playing that area, usually Rosario Strings. There is not a bad musical group onboard. After dinner was a drink in the Schooner Bar listening to Jim Moody play guitar and singing. This was lots of fun and very interactive. I very occasionally made it to the disco for maybe an hour, and continue to be disappointed when the partying/dancing which is in full swing is STOPPED so that the crew can put on their "skits" or performances. Anyway, that's a personal pet peeve...

 

I went to a few of the shows, the first production show "Piano Man" which was entertaining but nothing to rave about...God bless those kids who put so much effort into these shows. Another show I attended was a singing show with Bobby Avron as the headliner...INCREDIBLE performer, in the old sense of the word, he was there to entertain, and gave one heck of a show...singing...impersonating singers...and all with a great comic sense. Don't miss this performance. And lastly was Herb Reed of the Original Platters and his group. Amazing. The smooooooooth voice of singer Frankie was hypnotic. Make sure to find yourself in center seats and lose yourself in that voice.

 

Last thing, DO NOT miss the adult game show "The Quest". Make sure your party includes men and women, and be prepared to laugh so hard that it may hurt!

[ravenlair]

What is the scallop rissoto? I don't usually like scallops, but ...

 

Rissoto is slow cooked arboria rice, which becomes quite creamy, and usually finished with parmesan cheese....mmmmm...I'm not a big scallop fan either, but these were small and off to the side...and actually were very tasty with the rissoto.

[ravenlair]

Again, not having researched this cruise AT ALL, and visiting Ocho Rios and Grand Cayman for the first time (how had I missed them thus far??!!) , I only had my day in Cozumel planned. I quickly called my sister who is also a cruise freak, and she filled me in on what to do in Ocho Rios and Grand Caymen. She gave me the phone number of her favorite cabdriver in Ocho Rios who we called him and arranged to pick us up (Hello Jerry!!). He was our escort for the day, for which you pay, but are able to do SO MUCH more. Drove us around the island a bit, showing us interesting things like the "cave home" of an islander that has kind of dropped out of civilization and lives off the land. Eventually we were dropped off at a beach that had approximately 6 other people (and an equal number of puppies) on it...my idea of heaven. I've promised my sister not to give out the name of the beach, but ask a cab driver to take you to a beach with very few cruisers and you may get lucky enough to have a driver who will take you there. If my fellow cruisecritic posters know of this beach, let's respect my sister's wishes...

 

After the beach our driver took us shopping, where he escorted us into every shop, making recommendations, carrying our purchases, etc. One BIG mistake, from which our driver TRIED to discourage us was going to the flea market. I felt soooooo stressed by the vendors, we made it to approximately 4 booths before getting out of there. I'm a big fan of respecting local culture and enjoying it, but this was more than I was able to deal with. Stick to the stores!

 

We were driven back to the ship where my cousin later realized she was missing her credit card! (She has GOT to get it together, LOL). We checked our cell phone messeges and there was a messege from our driver that he had her card and for her to call him about where to send it. God Bless all good people of this world, of which I believe most are.

[ravenlair]

Sorry...this day was spent onboard...which I highly recommend if you've never done it on a port day. My sister had the recommendation of Eden Rock for snorkling, but I couldn't convince myself to tender onshore...so laid by the pool and completely enjoyed it.

[ravenlair]

I've been to Paradise Beach numerous times, and it's as fabulous as everybody says. But this time around I was looking for more of a quiet day, with 4 ships in port, so we took a taxi over to Nachi Cocom. $5 to get in, then bought drinks and lunch throughout the day. Private palapa, with our two lounge chairs and a table underneath. Maybe 40-50 people there. Gorgeous pool, hot tub, both overlooking the sandiest beach in Cozumel. Incredible food! Simple grilled grouper which was as fresh as if just caught. The best guacamole ever...salsa that you better be prepared for, it's HOT. We had a massage in a little hut that is set up at back of beach...$55 for an hour, and pure heaven....wave and bird sounds in background, slow relaxing massage, not deep tissue...wonderful. This particular beach club is limited in the number of people it allows to use facilities, so if you don't reserve online, you risk not having the $5 entry fee option and will be turned away. But, there's always the other beach clubs just down the road...have your taxi driver wait while you see if you can get in.

[ravenlair]

A clean beautiful ship...with as nice a crew as you will ever have. Go, limit your precruise ideas of what will be, make friends, and let the days carry you along...set your routine, and then consistantly break it...:-)