Liberty 1/05/08 sailing

[Paul]

Just returned yesterday from Liberty sailing Eastern Caribbean.

 

Ship was every bit as nice as the hype it has received since it entered service in May of 07. The food was equal to any of the 26 cruises my wife and I have completed, served nicely and well presented. However; after conversing with a few English speaking people as to there opinion of the cruise in general, I discovered their concerns were about the same as mine.

We purposely chose this date assuming that schools would be returning to classrooms after the Christmas & New Year holidays. We heard from a few people that RCI is advertising heavily in South America, Brazil, Australia and Europe. These countries obviously must have school vacations at much different times than in the US.

After the first evening in the dinning room we had our table changed to the top level due to a table close by with many children behaving as if they were at a play ground. The waiters had to take different approaches to get to surounding tables.

Elevators were impossible to get due unruly children with no supervision pushing every button then running to the next elevator and doing the same.

We were told by crew members that there were 4200 passengers on the ship.

This indicates to me that a lot of cabins had more than double occupancy.

From what I had read about the ship, it was designed and built to accommodate 3200 passengers. This accounts for the fact on days at sea, pool side chairs were unavailable for a good many who wanted them.

Overcrowding was very evident in most places. RCI can take the blame for a lot of the problem because they did not have the obvious guts to enforce any of the rules they so diligently print and consistently remind you of, over the speaker system. I could go on & on but I think I have made the point.

 

We observed men with baseball caps, Tee Shirts, and shorts in the dinning room at the evening meal. I never observed the head waiters even approach one of these people to enforce this simple dress code.

[pinkrosesdeb]

Wow, most of us feel like we "took" this cruise because Radio was posting the whole trip. He didn't mention any of what you say. So sorry you weren't happy with your cruise. It is so strange how 2 people can have such different times but it is all subjective.

[maggieq]

I agree with some of what the op mentions...we took the Liberty in September and I was shocked by what most of the passengers wore in the dining room. Even in chops....

 

The most international cruise I have ever taken.

 

I don't expect everyone to be overdressed each night but why does rccl give us a dress code if they don't enforce it.....

 

If we don't bring formal wear, we don't dine in the dining room that night.

 

Shorts, flip flops, t-shirts and baseball caps don't belong in there, I don't care if I get flamed for that comment.

[HighlandCruzer]

I thought it was a "suggestion" rather than a mandatory "code."

 

You can't really believe much enforcement will happen under this policy. It would be like a school telling its kids "We suggest you wear the school uniform" then expect the kids to actually wear it.

[ShillyShally]

I agree with some of what the op mentions...we took the Liberty in September and I was shocked by what most of the passengers wore in the dining room. Even in chops....

 

The most international cruise I have ever taken.

 

I don't expect everyone to be overdressed each night but why does rccl give us a dress code if they don't enforce it.....

 

If we don't bring formal wear, we don't dine in the dining room that night.

 

Shorts, flip flops, t-shirts and baseball caps don't belong in there, I don't care if I get flamed for that comment.

 

I too saw many very casual diners on all nights, including formal nights. I didn't care one way or the other on that.

 

We did see the same with kids and elevators - in fact by the middle of our week one elevator was broken and every elevator had one or 2 buttons broken - even when they repaired them they would be broken again in a couple of days. We did see security enforce the curfews and stop the elevator riders but not until 1/2 way through the week - at least though we saw them taking action.

 

The table next to us on the first level of the DR was a party of over 20 with many kids who would play on the center stairs many nights, even my own kids were irritated some nights.

 

We never let it affect our cruise and had a great time but they are valid points.

[PVDCruiser]

I'm very sorry to hear about that. Kids are so misbehaved these days*. :D

 

But yes the elevator issue is annoying, there were times I'd walk into an elevator on the Navigator and every button was pressed. Some of these kids need to learn it's only funny the first time.

 

And on the dining room I agree with you. While I think that RCCL should enforce the dress code more, underdressed people don't ruin my cruise. But once people start wearing baseball hats, that's just dumb. The dining room is a formal eating place, not Appplebee's.

[snow to sea]

I was on this cruise also and very much agree. There was much rudeness all week.

We had a balcony table on deck 4...and yes it was a playground for some kids. They were running wild around our table and one kid even jumped the railing behind the table next to up and almost landed on the table on the other side of the railing. And NOTHING was said to them. We voiced our concerns to the head waiter who seemed to "side" with them and said "well, it is there vacation also". The waiters were dodging the kids most of the time.

At the ice show one man was "saving" 2 ROWS for his family. 3 of us sat down anyway and needless to say we were yelled at in a foreign language, but we stood our ground and stayed put.

One day in the windjammer a lady cut in line and literally took the serving spoon out of my hand.

I saw several kids in the "adult pool" with nothing being said.

Overall I had a great cruise, but I thought service was lacking.

[Cruising89143]

Not sure where you read that the ship only holds 3200 passengers.

 

Right here on RCI's website it states this:

Passenger Capacity: 3,634 double occupancy

 

The ships holds right at 4400 passengers if all berths are full. Also just because a ship sails from the US does not mean that it will be just Americans on board just like Americans fly across the pond to take cruises out of Europe.

[granger]

I agree with everything Paul said about this cruise. The concept of standing in line is lost on guests from South America. June

[cruiserbryce]

while I agree that casual diners in the evening and a lack of enforcement is disapointing...it has really no affect on me so I try not to get so worked up about it, and it definatly doesnt have a negative affect on our cruise...

[cot427]

I was on this cruise too, well, it was a virtual cruise with Radio. But still, I feel like I was there.

[pcur]

I am seriously tempted to rent my DH out during Spring Break and the summer months. He has a "way" with children, and doesn't hesitate for one second to tell them what he thinks. He will literally stand in their way to stop them from doing stuff, and make them slow down.

 

If he gets on an elevator with a child on a cruise ship he makes sure HE stands next to the buttons so they cannot push them.

 

He also has followed one group back to their cabin to get the cabin number to report them.

 

When he has lunch with his buddies, they assign him "kid duty". All he has to do is look at the kid, and they shut up and go away. He rarely talks to any child. His demeanor and body language say it all.

 

He will hire out for room and board, so to speak:D :D :D

[Mark_K]

We heard from a few people that RCI is advertising heavily in South America, Brazil, Australia and Europe. These countries obviously must have school vacations at much different times than in the US.

Yah think? It's the middle of Summer in the Southern Hemisphere.

[SailingDeanna]

I agree that if children annoy you, then don't take a ship that caters to families. And don't take a cruise near the holidays. Schools are almost always having extended holiday vacations.

[nicsdad]

My husband and I and my 13 yo daughter were on this sailing. I whole heartly agree with the original poster and would like to add my two cents for what it is worth.

 

This was my 27th cruise, and our 10th on RCL. If it was my first, it would have also been my last. I have never seen such disregard for the rules, and the lack of enforcement anywhere, on or off of a ship. We were expected to move out of their way (the non-english speaking cruisers) and if you didn't, they would run directly into you. I have always taught my daughter that manners alway come first, but on the sailing, all bets were off. You had to stand up for yourself, or you were overrun. She didn't get to take part in any of the 12-15 year old activities due to the fact that she was the only english speaking one there. Call me crazy, but I think that I would feel that same.

 

The biggest infraction of the rules that I feel was the smoking. People smoked ANYWHERE THEY WANTED TO and no one stopped them. I seen them smoking in the photo area, on the incorrect side of the ship, sitting watching the flowrider, walking around the top deck (all the way around) and oh yeah, sitting in the hot tubs. Nice huh? I realize that they have the right to smoke, but we also have the right not to have it all over the ship. I also voiced my concerns about this, and was told that it was "their" culture to smoke and when the crew tried to stop them "they" are very stubbern people.

 

The at sea days were more like in hell days. The previous poster was correct about the lack of chairs. I went to get a refill on my soda, and on the way back, saw my bag being thrown, (with my cameras, perscription glasses etc. in it) because someone liked my chair! This person wouldn't get up because he put his towels there at 5:30 that morning, so this chair was his. Security cleared that problem up. By the way, when I sat down, there wasn't any towel. This was the first cruise ever that I felt uncomfortable leaving my things, and never, after that, left anything alone. Nice, huh?

 

This was how it was the entire week. By the last night, I had really had enough. The kids were standing on the side of the hot tub and jumping in the pool!!! Can you believe it? And NO ONE SAID ANYTHING!!!

 

In the dining room, second seating, top floor, we were the only english speaking table around. The head waiter was so happy when she got to our table because she could talk to us. She told us that the crew was really struggling to comunicate. She also told us that the Liberty is being heavily marketed in Latin America. Maybe they should have thought about the language problem before they did this.

 

These are just a few of the things that I chose to point out to you. It was a very difficult trip, but we did make the best of it and still had fun. It was still our vacation too.

 

We were going to book for next year on the ship like we always do, but we didn't. After this trip, we are a little apprehensive now. I want to wait and see if this trend continues. If it does, RCL has lost a very loyal customer.

[royaloakie]

We also found many of the same situations on the Freedom over New Year's Eve. As announced by the captain and the cruise director, several times: there were approx. 1200 passengers from Mexico, less than one quarter of passengers from the US. The majority of the rest of the passengers were from Latin America, outside of Mexico. Everyone was well behaved and the 1100 children on board were also well behaved for the most part. This was a very expensive week to cruise. We had a good time for the most part (won't go into the Noro we caught) but not sure I will cruise RCCL again, because of the language problems in many of the venues. We were often the only English speaking guests in a bar or coffee shop. The young adults with us had trouble finding others of the same age group that spoke English. It is clear that they are heavily marketing to Latin America and catering to that market on board. I guess that is why we were never able to get a Mix and Mingle together. It was and International Experience.

[maggieq]

I happen to love rccl cruises...i had thought that they were considered a step or two above carnival and princess but perhaps times have changed...wondering why rccl is more money than the other two....

[Suzanne74]

I am really nervous about all this. We are taking Adventure of the Seas out of San Juan and have heard horror stories too. My main concern is my 6yr old daughter will have no on to talk to at the kids club but at least her cousin will be there.

 

RCCL has a right to advertise to any country, I understand that but I picked the carribean the past 2 times in hopes that many americans do the same. I love diversity but I don't want a minority speaking english with no one to talk to.:(

[cot427]

When we were on the Freedom in October, there were a lot of non english speakers, but not to the extent of 75%.

 

Yes, they were rude, running into you, not holding elevators, no thank you for holding doors for them, but it was tolerable. And the easiest thing I found to do, was to ignore it.

 

I would say about 20-30% did not speak english.

 

This is one reason that I really am not taking a cruise to the Southern Caribbean on AOS, the other reason being airfare.