Cruise Ship Reviews : Royal Caribbean International Reviews
ashdelamber saw things this way:
Okay, but not as good as previous experiences., September 25, 2016
Reviewer: ashdelamber
Pros: The balcony and excursions were great.
Cons: Lackluster service and food. Norovirus outbreak.
Departure port: Galveston, TX
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: Deck 6
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
We selected this cruise due to being offered an excellent price on it through an email special. Other reasons for choosing it were that it departed Galveston, where I have never been, and stopped in Roatan, where we have been several times and always loved it. This was an okay cruise, marred somewhat by the constant threat of Norovirus. Lots of people were sick, we were asked to complete a survey about whether we'd caught it (fortunately no), and we were told by some veteran cruisers at dinner that although they were continuing on with the ship they were having to pack their room as the whole ship was being disinfected while in port. We'd heard other passengers talking about people being quarantined and seeing crew cleaning in hazmat suits, and on the way to dinner we saw a bunch of beefy security guys running towards one passenger lying in our hallway thrashing about. It felt quite like the opening sequences of a zombie film. Food in the dining room was okay, bland and tending to dry but otherwise what you'd expect in a mid-nice restaurant. The same with the service. As is usually the case on cruise ships, vegetables were in short supply on the plates and I usually went to the buffet mid-afternoon to score a plate of veggies. I wish the ships would offer extra sides of veggies. Food at the buffet was highly variable, from terrible to quite good. The bread was great everywhere. There was really nothing exceptional about this cruise, most staff were politely friendly, but no one stood out. There were a couple of times when staff seemed put out by a request, which I've only ever seen before on an unpleasant NCL cruise where I felt like the staff saw the passengers as a necessary inconvenience. The cabin was standard, but I miss the good old days of having ice and a little basket of sample personal amenities provided. I had to keep traversing half the ship to fill my cup with ice, and borrow my travel companion's shampoo and conditioner as none were provided. Even Motel 6 gives you little shampoo and conditioners. The first three days of the cruise were at sea, we brought board games to pass the time. The card room on the Liberty is a small, depressing, windowless place, but it was the only place we could find with a big enough table and quiet enough to play games. The card room on our last cruise on HAL was huge, had big bay windows, combined with a lending library and a coffee shop where you paid for drinks but the desserts were free. So much more enjoyable. I like RCL and will certainly cruise with them again, but I don't feel like this cruise was up to the standards of our RCL previous sailings. Adequate, but nothing to write home about. Excursions: Costa Maya ATV and Beach (ATVs were great but the beach was full of sea grass) Roatan Dolphin Excursion and Swim (awesome) Cozumel Baby Sea Turtle Rescue (awesome)
Charisa saw things this way:
Royal Caribbean has now become an overpriced Carnival cruise line., May 16, 2016
Reviewer: Charisa
Pros: Absolutely nothing.
Cons: Royal Caribbean USED to be one of the best. Now it's one of the worst.
Departure port: Galveston, Texas
Region visited: Caribbean - Southern
Cabin category: Jr. Suite
I have taken three Royal Caribbean cruises over the last eight years and all were to the Caribbean out of Galveston, Texas. For the first two cruises I was extremely pleased and totally happy and usually amazed with Royal Caribbean, the ships, staff, amenities and all they had to offer. But this last cruise I just took was nothing more than a huge disappointment. Royal Caribbean has now cut their staffs in almost every area to half of what it used to be. Of course, this means that cleanliness throughout the ship including the rooms suffers greatly and the reduced quantity of staff means long lines or wait times wherever you go where servers are needed. The services they used to offer as part of the cruise are now no longer available and there seems to be a huge push to charge additional cost for items that used to be part of the cruise fare. No longer can you have today what you had last night in the dining room as you could before and now if you want the really good dining items you have to pay extra for them. The serving portions in the main dining room are a lot smaller and of less significance than they used to be and the service is terrible. The only really good food (like Royal Caribbean was once known for) can only be found in the reservation-only restaurants where you are charged extra for what you order. One really disappointing thing we discovered is do not expect to get a "doggie bag" for any remaining parts of your meal you had to pay for in the charge for restaurants. They are not allowed. So this means that now not only do you have to pay extra (and it's not cheap) for a good meal, but you can't take any leftovers you may want back to your room to enjoy later. I guess that's just as well because the "refrigerator" in our suite was even warmer than our room temperature. When I asked our room steward to have it checked she did and the service person left a note saying it is working fine and it is not a refrigerator but is a "cooler". So why do they put drinks and water in it if it's not a refrigerator? The room temperature is actually colder than the "cooler". Geez! Our friends in another suite experienced the same thing. Another disappointment we discovered is you have to ask for the amenities that are supposed to be included in your suite and or room. We asked our room steward where the robes are and she said we had to request them before she could put them in the room and the same applied to needing extra towels or hand cloths. It's like you're allowed only a set number per day and if you need more then you have to track down your room steward to request them. Then you may get them the following day. Overall, we were extremely disappointed at how low Royal Caribbean has lowered itself when it comes to quality, amenities, service and especially cleanliness. The nightly entertainment is barely acceptable and the quality of the "shows" in the theater are a fraction of what they used to be. The ice skating rink they proudly boast of having for the guests was only open for 30 minutes on two separate days of our 8-day cruise and you had to obtain a ticket prior to it opening if you wanted to skate. But the tickets were limited in quantity so fat chance of ice skating if you really wanted to. What's the use of having it if you can't use it? Even the room service menu has been reduced to that of a cheaper Carnival cruise line. Our entire cruise was a series of disappointments of seeing how much Royal Caribbean has lowered itself from what it used to be. Even in the casino it was very apparent they were trying to make as much as possible off the guest as the table games on other cruise lines and even previously on Royal Caribbean -- like poker, 3 card poker, blackjack, etc.. -- are usually $5 minimum bets until possibly the last night of the cruise where they may or may not be raised to $10 minimum. But on Liberty of the Seas they were a minimum of $10 the entire cruise and all of the casino guests were complaining. The staff couldn't have cared less if the players were happy or not and thus the casino was never crowded. Also they always opened the table games in the smoking area all day and night but wouldn't open (even when requested) the tables in the non-smoking areas until after 6 p.m. Just another example of how little they care about customer happiness. In summary, all I can say is Royal Caribbean has become nothing more than an overpriced Carnival cruise in amenities, entertainment, cleanliness, quality, service and onboard activities. It's a shame how much they have cut out the very things that previously made them a premier cruise line. I guess cutting costs everywhere possible and drastically cheapening what little they now do offer is how they pay for the 1.5 BILLION DOLLAR new cruise ships like the new Harmony of the Seas they are finishing now and the next one that will be even more expensive I hear is already in production. Yes, our cruise of May 2016 out of Galveston, Texas, on Liberty of the Seas was extremely disappointing. I guess if we had never cruised Royal Caribbean before we wouldn't have been so disappointed. But we take at least two cruises per year and have cruised Norwegian, Princess, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and Carnival. After this last cruise we will never cruise Royal Caribbean again. Why pay for something you do not get and why pay more for a lower-end cruise when you can pay a lot less via Carnival?
mjmikayer saw things this way:
Nice ship, friendly staff...horrible food, August 18, 2015
Reviewer: mjmikayer
Pros: Friendly staff, tons of amenities, plenty to do
Cons: Food was horrible
Date of cruise: August 8, 2015
Departure port: Cape Liberty
Region visited: Bermuda
Cabin category: Balcony
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
We had a great time and the ship was lovely. Staff was friendly. Considering age of ship, fairly well maintained. Superior category balcony room was bigger than other lines. Plenty of activities and things to do on board. Didn't bring the kids but seemed like a great ship for kids. That said, with so many choices leaving out of NY metro area now will probably never sail RCCL again because the food was horrible (even Johnny Rockets was bad and we had to pay to go there!). Other small issues: Check-in was slowest I've had by far (in about eight cruises), OBC didn't load until late second day and this may be a pet peeve but was annoying (and condescending) to have to "check out" towels, especially on sea days (I get it a bit when at port but come on!).
TeresaNNP saw things this way:
Overall excellent experience, February 19, 2015
Reviewer: TeresaNNP
Pros: Cleanliness and staff friendliness
Cons: Nothing
Date of cruise: February 9, 2015
Departure port: Port Everglades
Region visited: Caribbean - Eastern
Cabin category: Inside
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
Fantastic ship and staff
ginty6 saw things this way:
Excellent expierience, October 1, 2012
Reviewer: ginty6
Pros: Had a brilliant time on board ship, entertainment and food best yet
Cons: Water in swimming pool too cold
Date of cruise: September 22, 2012
Departure port: barcelona
Region visited: Europe
Cabin category: Inside
Cabin number: 8325
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
This was our 12th cruise with Royal Caribbean and have to say enjoyed it very much> Only fault was that water in pools was cool. But with music, food and other entertainment I could overlook this minor fault. Hope to return soon.
pineapplerae saw things this way:
Everything was perfect!, December 15, 2011
Reviewer: pineapplerae
Pros: Excellent food, service and entertainment!
Cons: The trip was too short
Date of cruise: December 5, 2011
Departure port: Fort Lauderdale
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Inside
Cabin number: 8491
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
I have no complaints about this ship or cruise line. We always have a wonderful time when we sail with Royal Caribbean.
thurst2 saw things this way:
Wonderful family cruise, December 25, 2010
Reviewer: thurst2
Pros: Sstaff, everyone was so friendly and willing to help
Cons: Passengers, so many rude people this trip.
Date of cruise: December 12, 2010
Departure port: Miami
Region visited: Caribbean - Eastern
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 6524
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
We had a wonderful time on LOS. Our party consisted of my husband, three children ages 22, 17 and 10, and my daughter's husband. Boarding took a little time because the tide level rose and the ramp wasn't safe to load the passengers. That was no fault of RCI. Once on board it was like being back home (this is our fourth sailing on LOS). We had beautilful balconies on the sixth floor. My 17- and 11-year-olds loved the teen and children's programs. We only saw them at dinner time usually. My 17-year-old son missed dinner twice because he stayed with friends he met. The ship was decorated for Christmas and had a beautiful tree in the promanade the was at least three stories high. Dining room staff were not the best I have had but they were great none the less. Food was as I remembered. I'm not a picky eater or a food snob so it was very good to me. We met Mark who was our waiter from our first trip on LOS. He is now head waiter and he remembered my husband when he saw him. We told him that we compare all of our waitstaff to him and none have ever compared. We saw him in the Windjammer and there were no seats for our party so he went and made an announcement for anyone that was finished eating to please leave so other people could sit and enjoy their lunches. I thought that was very nice. You still get your towel animals every night. We tried to go to the ice show but it was full by the time we got there. They stated to show up 30 minutes arly to get seats but they were gone already. I have seen some of the ice shows before and they are wonderful. We only went to one other production show and it was nice. The love and marriage show was funny as usual. My husband surprised me with a 50-minute massage and facial which was very nice. Weather was a little bit of a downer. It was cloudy most of the time. The seas were very rough. I don't know if it is always this way in December but we usually go in February or March and it is not as rough then. I was really upset with the passengers at the welcome back party for returning guests. This is supposed to be a good time and a thank you for choosing RCI again with drinks and appetizers but some older people (who I think were very spoiled) turned it into a complaint session when the captain was speaking and asked if anyone had anything to say or questions. People almost started fighting. After that was over when we were leaving and the officers were standing at the exit lined up, I apoligized for others' behavior and told them how much I appreciated their hard work. Disembarkation was the easiest we have ever had. We were the last number called. We were staying an extra night in Ft. Lauderdale so we stayed on until almost 10 a.m. When we went through customs the agent looked at all of our documents and said go on. It was that easy. It has never been that easy before so we were very happy about that. We booked our next cruise while onboard and it is set for next November at Thanksgiving on Oasis of the Seas. I can hardly wait. Only 300 and some days before embarkation!!!
brooklynboy saw things this way:
Very good experience, December 18, 2010
Reviewer: brooklynboy
Pros: Ice show and staff
Cons: Disembarking
Date of cruise: December 5, 2010
Departure port: Miami
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Jr. Suite
Cabin number: 9628
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
We sailed 12/5-12/12 and had a junior suite. The cabin was the largest of any suite we have ever had (compared to Princess's mini-suite) and with a walk-in closet, a tub in the bathroom and an oversized balcony it was worth the few extra bucks. The steward, Sheldon, was excellent. The entertainment was good and far superior to our last cruise on Celebrity Solstice. The highlight was the ice show and if you have an early dinner and get to the show at 7 p.m. there are plenty of seats available. The main dining room food was good or should I say adequate. The service was excellent. The specialty restaurant, Chops Grille (think that was the name), was terrible. I ordered filet mignon medium and it was tough and well done. I reordered veal chops and it was equally poor. My wife had rack of lamb and it was just so-so. The waiter was not attentive at all and after I reordered, which took another 15 minutes, he never offered to replace our sides so they were cold when the veal came. All-in-all, a bad experience. Although we didn't avail ourselves of the rock climbing walls and the Flowrider, everyone who did seemed to have a great time. The golf simulator was ineffectual and I wouldn't recommend it. The Windjammer Cafe was quite good especially for breakfast. We ate once up there for dinner since the dining room menu didn't appeal to us that night. It was good with a large variety of food. The desserts were okay but nary a chocolate chip cookie to be found. Ice cream only available in the main dining room or, at added expense, at the ice cream shop on the Promenade (Ben n' Jerry's, I think). There was always self serve soft yogurt at the main pool. The ship is quite large so be prepared to do a lot of walking. We were on the 9th deck midships in cabin 9628...excellent. Normally, I would use wrist bands or a patch to ward off seasickness but this cruise was so calm that I needed neither. Upon disembarkation we decided to roll off our own luggage, which would be the quickest way off the ship. And it was, although the line to get off was extemely lengthy and we waited about an hour to disembark. There was the occasional sneaking into the line and caused some ruffled feathers. My advice, just sit and relax and wait for the line to end and then disembark. It is still the earliest way to get off the ship. I would rate this cruise as one of the better ones we have been on although of all the cruises we have taken, we rate the Princess food the best and RCCL next.
shadow45 saw things this way:
Extremely poor planning of shows and entertainment, poor dining management, June 25, 2010
Reviewer: shadow45
Pros: Very family oriented
Cons: Deliberately schedules entertainment so most passengers cannot attend
Date of cruise: June 13, 2010
Departure port: Miami
Region visited: Caribbean - Eastern
Cabin category: Balcony
Good for children: Yes
For parents with children to be entertained by the staff, the ship did a great job. For those who want to enjoy entertainment or use the sports deck, forget it! The production shows are below par except for the ice show which is great. Unfortunately, you had to stand in line for a couple of hours to get a ticket for one of only four ice shows in total (each sat approximately 600 people ? there were 4,300 guests on board) and scheduled at very inconvenient times on different days (5 p.m., two at 7 p.m. and one at 9 p.m.). It seemed that ALL entertainment shows were scheduled to ensure not to run out of seating. The main theater seats 1,200 people, but with 4,300 passengers, and a capacity for only 2,400 of those, I guess something had to be done to make sure that everyone didn't want to come. They decided to schedule shows at inconvenient times (impossible to attend unless you wanted to grab a bite in the Windjammer (lido) buffet. Some evenings there was only ONE stage show! On the last night, there was one show at 7:45 p.m. (which made it almost impossible for late seaters to attend) and main sitting had to hurry their meal. Ordinarly, this might not have been a problem, but at 7:15 p.m.(just as dessert orders would have been placed by patrons), they staged a 15-minute "show" consisting of the wait staff singing a farewell song. Our waiter informed us as we told him we were trying to make the show, that he HAD to participate and was not allowed to take orders. The "show" essentially amounted to begging for tips as ?the livelihood of the whole staff depends on you!?. That meant patrons who wanted to attend the show at 7:45 had to leave immediately after this ?impromptu? staff production, and hope to be able to find a seat! We should have realized that the farewell stage production would be as poor as the others. The Flowrider on the sports deck was great - if you were lucky enough to endure the long lines to ride - the same is true of the climbing wall. With THAT many people on board you could barely move on the sports deck - forget being able to get into a pool and do more than move around a little. Oh - keep close tabs on your towel - someone else snatching it will cost you $20! The ONE really good thing about this ship is the fact that it only took about 30 minutes from the time we pulled up at the dropoff point until we were sitting at lunch in the lido (Windjammer). The rooms were the smallest of any ship that we have sailed on and amenities were few. Only "select" rooms got their own small bottles of shampoo/conditioner. The rest of the ship had to deal with a soap/shampoo-conditioner (combined) dispenser in the shower which was empty for two days after boarding. Would I sail on the Liberty of the Seas again? Of course - but, the tickets had better be free!!
Liberty of the Seas reviews
Average customer rating:
4.01 / 5
4.01 / 5Average Rating based on 9 Reviews:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
3.78
4.33
3.78
4.29
3.78
4.44
4.00
2.67
4.22
4.33
3.78
4.29
3.78
4.44
4.00
2.67
4.22
ashdelamber saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
4
3
3
3
4
3
3
3
3
4
3
Okay, but not as good as previous experiences., September 25, 2016
Reviewer: ashdelamber
Pros: The balcony and excursions were great.
Cons: Lackluster service and food. Norovirus outbreak.
Departure port: Galveston, TX
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: Deck 6
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
We selected this cruise due to being offered an excellent price on it through an email special. Other reasons for choosing it were that it departed Galveston, where I have never been, and stopped in Roatan, where we have been several times and always loved it. This was an okay cruise, marred somewhat by the constant threat of Norovirus. Lots of people were sick, we were asked to complete a survey about whether we'd caught it (fortunately no), and we were told by some veteran cruisers at dinner that although they were continuing on with the ship they were having to pack their room as the whole ship was being disinfected while in port. We'd heard other passengers talking about people being quarantined and seeing crew cleaning in hazmat suits, and on the way to dinner we saw a bunch of beefy security guys running towards one passenger lying in our hallway thrashing about. It felt quite like the opening sequences of a zombie film. Food in the dining room was okay, bland and tending to dry but otherwise what you'd expect in a mid-nice restaurant. The same with the service. As is usually the case on cruise ships, vegetables were in short supply on the plates and I usually went to the buffet mid-afternoon to score a plate of veggies. I wish the ships would offer extra sides of veggies. Food at the buffet was highly variable, from terrible to quite good. The bread was great everywhere. There was really nothing exceptional about this cruise, most staff were politely friendly, but no one stood out. There were a couple of times when staff seemed put out by a request, which I've only ever seen before on an unpleasant NCL cruise where I felt like the staff saw the passengers as a necessary inconvenience. The cabin was standard, but I miss the good old days of having ice and a little basket of sample personal amenities provided. I had to keep traversing half the ship to fill my cup with ice, and borrow my travel companion's shampoo and conditioner as none were provided. Even Motel 6 gives you little shampoo and conditioners. The first three days of the cruise were at sea, we brought board games to pass the time. The card room on the Liberty is a small, depressing, windowless place, but it was the only place we could find with a big enough table and quiet enough to play games. The card room on our last cruise on HAL was huge, had big bay windows, combined with a lending library and a coffee shop where you paid for drinks but the desserts were free. So much more enjoyable. I like RCL and will certainly cruise with them again, but I don't feel like this cruise was up to the standards of our RCL previous sailings. Adequate, but nothing to write home about. Excursions: Costa Maya ATV and Beach (ATVs were great but the beach was full of sea grass) Roatan Dolphin Excursion and Swim (awesome) Cozumel Baby Sea Turtle Rescue (awesome)
Charisa saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
1
4
1
3
1
2
3
2
1
4
1
3
1
2
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2
1
Royal Caribbean has now become an overpriced Carnival cruise line., May 16, 2016
Reviewer: Charisa
Pros: Absolutely nothing.
Cons: Royal Caribbean USED to be one of the best. Now it's one of the worst.
Departure port: Galveston, Texas
Region visited: Caribbean - Southern
Cabin category: Jr. Suite
I have taken three Royal Caribbean cruises over the last eight years and all were to the Caribbean out of Galveston, Texas. For the first two cruises I was extremely pleased and totally happy and usually amazed with Royal Caribbean, the ships, staff, amenities and all they had to offer. But this last cruise I just took was nothing more than a huge disappointment. Royal Caribbean has now cut their staffs in almost every area to half of what it used to be. Of course, this means that cleanliness throughout the ship including the rooms suffers greatly and the reduced quantity of staff means long lines or wait times wherever you go where servers are needed. The services they used to offer as part of the cruise are now no longer available and there seems to be a huge push to charge additional cost for items that used to be part of the cruise fare. No longer can you have today what you had last night in the dining room as you could before and now if you want the really good dining items you have to pay extra for them. The serving portions in the main dining room are a lot smaller and of less significance than they used to be and the service is terrible. The only really good food (like Royal Caribbean was once known for) can only be found in the reservation-only restaurants where you are charged extra for what you order. One really disappointing thing we discovered is do not expect to get a "doggie bag" for any remaining parts of your meal you had to pay for in the charge for restaurants. They are not allowed. So this means that now not only do you have to pay extra (and it's not cheap) for a good meal, but you can't take any leftovers you may want back to your room to enjoy later. I guess that's just as well because the "refrigerator" in our suite was even warmer than our room temperature. When I asked our room steward to have it checked she did and the service person left a note saying it is working fine and it is not a refrigerator but is a "cooler". So why do they put drinks and water in it if it's not a refrigerator? The room temperature is actually colder than the "cooler". Geez! Our friends in another suite experienced the same thing. Another disappointment we discovered is you have to ask for the amenities that are supposed to be included in your suite and or room. We asked our room steward where the robes are and she said we had to request them before she could put them in the room and the same applied to needing extra towels or hand cloths. It's like you're allowed only a set number per day and if you need more then you have to track down your room steward to request them. Then you may get them the following day. Overall, we were extremely disappointed at how low Royal Caribbean has lowered itself when it comes to quality, amenities, service and especially cleanliness. The nightly entertainment is barely acceptable and the quality of the "shows" in the theater are a fraction of what they used to be. The ice skating rink they proudly boast of having for the guests was only open for 30 minutes on two separate days of our 8-day cruise and you had to obtain a ticket prior to it opening if you wanted to skate. But the tickets were limited in quantity so fat chance of ice skating if you really wanted to. What's the use of having it if you can't use it? Even the room service menu has been reduced to that of a cheaper Carnival cruise line. Our entire cruise was a series of disappointments of seeing how much Royal Caribbean has lowered itself from what it used to be. Even in the casino it was very apparent they were trying to make as much as possible off the guest as the table games on other cruise lines and even previously on Royal Caribbean -- like poker, 3 card poker, blackjack, etc.. -- are usually $5 minimum bets until possibly the last night of the cruise where they may or may not be raised to $10 minimum. But on Liberty of the Seas they were a minimum of $10 the entire cruise and all of the casino guests were complaining. The staff couldn't have cared less if the players were happy or not and thus the casino was never crowded. Also they always opened the table games in the smoking area all day and night but wouldn't open (even when requested) the tables in the non-smoking areas until after 6 p.m. Just another example of how little they care about customer happiness. In summary, all I can say is Royal Caribbean has become nothing more than an overpriced Carnival cruise in amenities, entertainment, cleanliness, quality, service and onboard activities. It's a shame how much they have cut out the very things that previously made them a premier cruise line. I guess cutting costs everywhere possible and drastically cheapening what little they now do offer is how they pay for the 1.5 BILLION DOLLAR new cruise ships like the new Harmony of the Seas they are finishing now and the next one that will be even more expensive I hear is already in production. Yes, our cruise of May 2016 out of Galveston, Texas, on Liberty of the Seas was extremely disappointing. I guess if we had never cruised Royal Caribbean before we wouldn't have been so disappointed. But we take at least two cruises per year and have cruised Norwegian, Princess, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and Carnival. After this last cruise we will never cruise Royal Caribbean again. Why pay for something you do not get and why pay more for a lower-end cruise when you can pay a lot less via Carnival?
mjmikayer saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
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2
4
5
1
4
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5
Nice ship, friendly staff...horrible food, August 18, 2015
Reviewer: mjmikayer
Pros: Friendly staff, tons of amenities, plenty to do
Cons: Food was horrible
Date of cruise: August 8, 2015
Departure port: Cape Liberty
Region visited: Bermuda
Cabin category: Balcony
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
We had a great time and the ship was lovely. Staff was friendly. Considering age of ship, fairly well maintained. Superior category balcony room was bigger than other lines. Plenty of activities and things to do on board. Didn't bring the kids but seemed like a great ship for kids. That said, with so many choices leaving out of NY metro area now will probably never sail RCCL again because the food was horrible (even Johnny Rockets was bad and we had to pay to go there!). Other small issues: Check-in was slowest I've had by far (in about eight cruises), OBC didn't load until late second day and this may be a pet peeve but was annoying (and condescending) to have to "check out" towels, especially on sea days (I get it a bit when at port but come on!).
TeresaNNP saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Staff and Service
5
5
5
4
5
5
4
5
5
5
4
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5
4
5
Overall excellent experience, February 19, 2015
Reviewer: TeresaNNP
Pros: Cleanliness and staff friendliness
Cons: Nothing
Date of cruise: February 9, 2015
Departure port: Port Everglades
Region visited: Caribbean - Eastern
Cabin category: Inside
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
Fantastic ship and staff
ginty6 saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
Excellent expierience, October 1, 2012
Reviewer: ginty6
Pros: Had a brilliant time on board ship, entertainment and food best yet
Cons: Water in swimming pool too cold
Date of cruise: September 22, 2012
Departure port: barcelona
Region visited: Europe
Cabin category: Inside
Cabin number: 8325
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
This was our 12th cruise with Royal Caribbean and have to say enjoyed it very much> Only fault was that water in pools was cool. But with music, food and other entertainment I could overlook this minor fault. Hope to return soon.
pineapplerae saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Staff and Service
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
Everything was perfect!, December 15, 2011
Reviewer: pineapplerae
Pros: Excellent food, service and entertainment!
Cons: The trip was too short
Date of cruise: December 5, 2011
Departure port: Fort Lauderdale
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Inside
Cabin number: 8491
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
I have no complaints about this ship or cruise line. We always have a wonderful time when we sail with Royal Caribbean.
thurst2 saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
5
5
4
5
5
5
4
5
5
5
4
5
5
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4
5
5
Wonderful family cruise, December 25, 2010
Reviewer: thurst2
Pros: Sstaff, everyone was so friendly and willing to help
Cons: Passengers, so many rude people this trip.
Date of cruise: December 12, 2010
Departure port: Miami
Region visited: Caribbean - Eastern
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 6524
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
We had a wonderful time on LOS. Our party consisted of my husband, three children ages 22, 17 and 10, and my daughter's husband. Boarding took a little time because the tide level rose and the ramp wasn't safe to load the passengers. That was no fault of RCI. Once on board it was like being back home (this is our fourth sailing on LOS). We had beautilful balconies on the sixth floor. My 17- and 11-year-olds loved the teen and children's programs. We only saw them at dinner time usually. My 17-year-old son missed dinner twice because he stayed with friends he met. The ship was decorated for Christmas and had a beautiful tree in the promanade the was at least three stories high. Dining room staff were not the best I have had but they were great none the less. Food was as I remembered. I'm not a picky eater or a food snob so it was very good to me. We met Mark who was our waiter from our first trip on LOS. He is now head waiter and he remembered my husband when he saw him. We told him that we compare all of our waitstaff to him and none have ever compared. We saw him in the Windjammer and there were no seats for our party so he went and made an announcement for anyone that was finished eating to please leave so other people could sit and enjoy their lunches. I thought that was very nice. You still get your towel animals every night. We tried to go to the ice show but it was full by the time we got there. They stated to show up 30 minutes arly to get seats but they were gone already. I have seen some of the ice shows before and they are wonderful. We only went to one other production show and it was nice. The love and marriage show was funny as usual. My husband surprised me with a 50-minute massage and facial which was very nice. Weather was a little bit of a downer. It was cloudy most of the time. The seas were very rough. I don't know if it is always this way in December but we usually go in February or March and it is not as rough then. I was really upset with the passengers at the welcome back party for returning guests. This is supposed to be a good time and a thank you for choosing RCI again with drinks and appetizers but some older people (who I think were very spoiled) turned it into a complaint session when the captain was speaking and asked if anyone had anything to say or questions. People almost started fighting. After that was over when we were leaving and the officers were standing at the exit lined up, I apoligized for others' behavior and told them how much I appreciated their hard work. Disembarkation was the easiest we have ever had. We were the last number called. We were staying an extra night in Ft. Lauderdale so we stayed on until almost 10 a.m. When we went through customs the agent looked at all of our documents and said go on. It was that easy. It has never been that easy before so we were very happy about that. We booked our next cruise while onboard and it is set for next November at Thanksgiving on Oasis of the Seas. I can hardly wait. Only 300 and some days before embarkation!!!
brooklynboy saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
5
5
4
5
4
5
1
5
5
4
5
4
5
1
5
Very good experience, December 18, 2010
Reviewer: brooklynboy
Pros: Ice show and staff
Cons: Disembarking
Date of cruise: December 5, 2010
Departure port: Miami
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Jr. Suite
Cabin number: 9628
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
We sailed 12/5-12/12 and had a junior suite. The cabin was the largest of any suite we have ever had (compared to Princess's mini-suite) and with a walk-in closet, a tub in the bathroom and an oversized balcony it was worth the few extra bucks. The steward, Sheldon, was excellent. The entertainment was good and far superior to our last cruise on Celebrity Solstice. The highlight was the ice show and if you have an early dinner and get to the show at 7 p.m. there are plenty of seats available. The main dining room food was good or should I say adequate. The service was excellent. The specialty restaurant, Chops Grille (think that was the name), was terrible. I ordered filet mignon medium and it was tough and well done. I reordered veal chops and it was equally poor. My wife had rack of lamb and it was just so-so. The waiter was not attentive at all and after I reordered, which took another 15 minutes, he never offered to replace our sides so they were cold when the veal came. All-in-all, a bad experience. Although we didn't avail ourselves of the rock climbing walls and the Flowrider, everyone who did seemed to have a great time. The golf simulator was ineffectual and I wouldn't recommend it. The Windjammer Cafe was quite good especially for breakfast. We ate once up there for dinner since the dining room menu didn't appeal to us that night. It was good with a large variety of food. The desserts were okay but nary a chocolate chip cookie to be found. Ice cream only available in the main dining room or, at added expense, at the ice cream shop on the Promenade (Ben n' Jerry's, I think). There was always self serve soft yogurt at the main pool. The ship is quite large so be prepared to do a lot of walking. We were on the 9th deck midships in cabin 9628...excellent. Normally, I would use wrist bands or a patch to ward off seasickness but this cruise was so calm that I needed neither. Upon disembarkation we decided to roll off our own luggage, which would be the quickest way off the ship. And it was, although the line to get off was extemely lengthy and we waited about an hour to disembark. There was the occasional sneaking into the line and caused some ruffled feathers. My advice, just sit and relax and wait for the line to end and then disembark. It is still the earliest way to get off the ship. I would rate this cruise as one of the better ones we have been on although of all the cruises we have taken, we rate the Princess food the best and RCCL next.
shadow45 saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
2
3
2
3
5
5
4
3
2
3
5
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4
Extremely poor planning of shows and entertainment, poor dining management, June 25, 2010
Reviewer: shadow45
Pros: Very family oriented
Cons: Deliberately schedules entertainment so most passengers cannot attend
Date of cruise: June 13, 2010
Departure port: Miami
Region visited: Caribbean - Eastern
Cabin category: Balcony
Good for children: Yes
For parents with children to be entertained by the staff, the ship did a great job. For those who want to enjoy entertainment or use the sports deck, forget it! The production shows are below par except for the ice show which is great. Unfortunately, you had to stand in line for a couple of hours to get a ticket for one of only four ice shows in total (each sat approximately 600 people ? there were 4,300 guests on board) and scheduled at very inconvenient times on different days (5 p.m., two at 7 p.m. and one at 9 p.m.). It seemed that ALL entertainment shows were scheduled to ensure not to run out of seating. The main theater seats 1,200 people, but with 4,300 passengers, and a capacity for only 2,400 of those, I guess something had to be done to make sure that everyone didn't want to come. They decided to schedule shows at inconvenient times (impossible to attend unless you wanted to grab a bite in the Windjammer (lido) buffet. Some evenings there was only ONE stage show! On the last night, there was one show at 7:45 p.m. (which made it almost impossible for late seaters to attend) and main sitting had to hurry their meal. Ordinarly, this might not have been a problem, but at 7:15 p.m.(just as dessert orders would have been placed by patrons), they staged a 15-minute "show" consisting of the wait staff singing a farewell song. Our waiter informed us as we told him we were trying to make the show, that he HAD to participate and was not allowed to take orders. The "show" essentially amounted to begging for tips as ?the livelihood of the whole staff depends on you!?. That meant patrons who wanted to attend the show at 7:45 had to leave immediately after this ?impromptu? staff production, and hope to be able to find a seat! We should have realized that the farewell stage production would be as poor as the others. The Flowrider on the sports deck was great - if you were lucky enough to endure the long lines to ride - the same is true of the climbing wall. With THAT many people on board you could barely move on the sports deck - forget being able to get into a pool and do more than move around a little. Oh - keep close tabs on your towel - someone else snatching it will cost you $20! The ONE really good thing about this ship is the fact that it only took about 30 minutes from the time we pulled up at the dropoff point until we were sitting at lunch in the lido (Windjammer). The rooms were the smallest of any ship that we have sailed on and amenities were few. Only "select" rooms got their own small bottles of shampoo/conditioner. The rest of the ship had to deal with a soap/shampoo-conditioner (combined) dispenser in the shower which was empty for two days after boarding. Would I sail on the Liberty of the Seas again? Of course - but, the tickets had better be free!!
