We survived IVAN!!!! Just back from the Rhapsody...

[TexJan's Hubby]

...great cruise.

would be glad to answer any ?'s you have. Will post more later for sure.

Mike

[jwmimi]

You will surely have a story to tell! We'll be anxious to hear about it! We will be going Oct. 17th.

[dderm]

I had noticed on an earlier thread you were planning to take a rolling cooler. Was it a problem to take onboard and did you use it a lot to keep your drinks cold rather than the fridge? Did the steward keep it full of ice? Where did you get yours? I'm in Midland so can run over to Odessa if it is at a particular store. We're on the Rhapsody the week before she goes into dry dock. Sorry, have a lot of nit-picky questions but was curious.

[justmeDi]

...great cruise.

would be glad to answer any ?'s you have. Will post more later for sure.

Mike

I have a lot of questions...we go next week...but nothing that can't wait til you post more. Particularly interested in your take on Costa Maya and/or Belize....thanks Di

[Jimbo]

Did you go for the cabin on the aft with the larger balcony facing the wake, if so how was it? With the hurricane how rough was the ride back there?

 

Jimbo:)

[TexJan's Hubby]

On Monday afternoon the Captain told us we would be passing Ivan Tuesday am around 8. The ship did rock on thru the evening, the night, and the following morning. (pretty severe at times). We were 150 statute miles from the eye and in 80 mile per hour winds. I was surprised at the announcement of that high of winds, but that was the Captain's quote. The Rhapsody handled the weather so well, we were impressed. The Captain and his crew deserve all the credit. Incrediibly, from then on we had the best weather we have ever had on a cruise!!!!!! I will address the individual ?'s.

 

the stops-

Belize, we didn't like. If you dive it's supposed to be the best in the world after the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. If you want the taste of local flavor, man, it is rough. If you go outside of the gated area at the pier into the town (looks like jail bars) you will be harrasseed endlessly by the hawkers and the street people. A local got mad at me when i buttoned my shorts pocket, i was putting my wallet away after a purchase, saying i was accusing him of being a thief, literally following me thru the town screaming at me. what an honest guy he was, he offered to sell my son some pot!!! we tendered back to the beautiful Rhapsody and enjoyed the ship for the rest of the day.

 

Costa Maya- a new port, 2 years old, nothing but a ship port. WE LOVED IT!!!! Great for shopping, super $5 tees, for laying in hammocks,shaded, two nice seaside pools. We didn't venture off on excursions, the port was too nice and free to leave.

 

Cozumel- been there several times, but had such great weather we hung around Mr Sancho's beach for the day---very nice.....

 

 

the collapseable cooler worked out well. my son and new daughter in law (they were married on the cruise!!!) were in an inside cabin w/o a fridge, so they had drinks in it and filled with ice daily.(purchased at Sam's Club)

 

AHHHHHHHHHHH, the balcony,hmmmmmm, what can it not do??????

.....any more ?'s

[pyrrhus]

On Monday afternoon the Captain told us we would be passing Ivan Tuesday am around 8. The ship did rock on thru the evening' date=' the night, and the following morning. (pretty severe at times). We were 150 statute miles from the eye and in 80 mile per hour winds. I was surprised at the announcement of that high of winds, but that was the Captain's quote. The Rhapsody handled the weather so well, we were impressed. The Captain and his crew deserve all the credit. Incrediibly, from then on we had the best weather we have ever had on a cruise!!!!!! I will address the individual ?'s.

 

the stops-

Belize, we didn't like. If you dive it's supposed to be the best in the world after the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. If you want the taste of local flavor, man, it is rough. If you go outside of the gated area at the pier into the town (looks like jail bars) you will be harrasseed endlessly by the hawkers and the street people. A local got mad at me when i buttoned my shorts pocket, i was putting my wallet away after a purchase, saying i was accusing him of being a thief, literally following me thru the town screaming at me. what an honest guy he was, he offered to sell my son some pot!!! we tendered back to the beautiful Rhapsody and enjoyed the ship for the rest of the day.

 

Costa Maya- a new port, 2 years old, nothing but a ship port. WE LOVED IT!!!! Great for shopping, super $5 tees, for laying in hammocks,shaded, two nice seaside pools. We didn't venture off on excursions, the port was too nice and free to leave.

 

Cozumel- been there several times, but had such great weather we hung around Mr Sancho's beach for the day---very nice.....

 

 

the collapseable cooler worked out well. my son and new daughter in law (they were married on the cruise!!!) were in an inside cabin w/o a fridge, so they had drinks in it and filled with ice daily.(purchased at Sam's Club)

 

AHHHHHHHHHHH, the balcony,hmmmmmm, what can it not do??????

.....any more ?'s[/quote']

 

 

So what else did RCCl do for your Son and D in Law? There were rumors flying all over that they were giving them the world :)

 

You should of ventured out of Costa Maya into the town. It was a really nice little village. I was so impressed my wife and I are considering buying some property there (probably for investment, I have a feeling that area is going to grow soon, but wouldn't mind a vacation home there). I didn't like the pier as much, tried to swim there after getting back from our excursion into the "jungle" and beach but was disgusted at how dirty the swimming pool water was. It was also loaded with cigarette butts, so we ate some lunch and went back to the ship.

 

Belieze I enjoyed because we made it out of the city to visit the ruins at Xunantunich which took us 2 hours through all 5 of the geographical areas and through the Amish country by Francis Ford Coppola's big compound there. Belieze is definitly a much nicer place outside of the city. I have no real desire to return though.

 

 

Michael

[TexJan's Hubby]

we were considered an aft cabin (ste #8554), but we all know what you mean. we had a great balcony, but not the biggies in the back. our suite was very clean. one night we're enjoying an adult beverage and a guy comes to fix a light that was out. we didn't recquest this ,but the steward must have. i always see people on this board complaining about this or that. this simply has not been our experience. we are treated better on that dang ship than anywhere else we go or anything else we do!!! that's why we cruise............................

Lovin' Life,

Mike

[TexJan's Hubby]

pyrrus, to address the costa maya port and the dirty pools. the cruisers hit it early and hit it hard partying all day there, mostly in the pool bar area. these are sea fed waters and the butts were probably from our shipmates. we hung around a hammock area and there was a guy that kept this area very clean, picking up our emptys very often. we tipped the guy pretty good, but he was doing the same for others that didn't appear to be tipping. we loved it!!!!! the shopping area was meticulously groomed and very clean. glad you liked the outside area as much. sounds like a great location for a vacation home!

take it easy,

mike

[dderm]

Just one more question. My husband recently hurt his back and we were wondering how the beds are. Are they soft, firm, REALLY hard or broken down? I understand the beds might be one of the things being changed out during the refurb but we'd like to know if we need to buy and bring one of those egg crate mattress pads to help him rest more comfortably.

 

By the way, congratulations to your son and new daughter-in-law! They'll certainly have something memorable in the years to come when discussing their wedding cruise!:)

[TexJan's Hubby]

dderm, thanks for your kind words for our kids and their future together. the beds are pretty hard, which is what i like, but, i would take any precautions you can to see that your DH is comfie. the beds are not broken down IMHO, but with a back problem, i can't say much. order room service for the mornings and let him get up slow and easy, kiss him real softly, then help him up to do what he can. the coffee is much better than it has been, and the juices are really good. hope you have a great cruise, we did, but with a bad back, i don't know what you can expect. hope to hear from you again.

 

still happy,

Mike

[skedaddle43]

dderm,

Don't bother to take your own. Just ask your room steward to get you one, but be sure to ask early on. By the time we asked - about half-way through the week - they were all gone except a "halfie." :p

[dderm]

Thanks, Skedaddle43 - DH really needs that extra cushion but wasn't looking forward to dragging it on board! :) I really appreciate all the info here on the boards, mostly I just "lurk" but when there's a question, typically a response is quick and from first hand experience (always the best).

[BarbaraD]

Hi

we will be on the Rhapsody on the Oct 24, 2004 cruise. Anyone on here going on that date?

[pd933]

dderm, the beds are lower than a regular bed. But they are O.K. I also have some minor back problems and the lower bed caused me no additional problems getting up or down.

[claowens]

Does any one know when the drydock will take place on the Rhapsody?? We are sailing on the Jan2 2,2005 cruise

[brn2crz]

Nov 4th ..about 10 days.