Rhapsody of the Seas

[Granny DI]

We're planning the Dec 28, 2013 Holiday cruise 15 Night Queensland & S. Pacific Cruise on the Rhapsody of the Seas. We are holding cabin GS 8516. I usually book a GS on RCCL, smiliar size suite on HAL and a mini suite on Princess. The cost for the GS suite on this cruise is $1640pp more than the Junior suite. I always book the suites on RCCL and HAL because of their concierge lounges. Would I be happy in a Junior Suite?. We were booked in E731(mini suite) on the Diamond Princess in Jan 2012 and loved the cabin, balcony and especially the price. Thoughts??

[critterchick]

What do you use the concierge lounge for? If its only for the drinks, then take a junior suite and use the $3280 saved for better brands at the bars around the ship:D. If you use the services of the concierge for reservations, troubleshooting, or if you like all of the other suite perks - better robes, reserved seating at the pool, private cocktail party w/senior officers, ordering lunch/dinner off the full dining room menu, etc., then you need to consider how much you will miss those.

 

If you are Diamond in the C&A Society, by the way, Rhapsody now has a Diamond Lounge that will offer you the same services as the CL.:)

 

We always try to book a JS on the Vision class ships, and prefer one on the stern, fantail, aft, however you like to call it. The view of the wake is fantastic, and the balconies are enormous - we had a party for our CC group, and some people in an OS had balcony envy. A little more rock & roll in high seas, but worth it to me. I prefer a JS on RCI over the Princess minisuite. The cabin is square, rather than long and narrow, and I just prefer the layout. I don't know what the new furniture is like, but there should be a full sofa and one or two lounging chairs. The JS along the sides have smaller balconies, but are pretty much identical on the inside.

 

You won't be as spoiled in the JS as in the GS, but for that kind of money, I think I would stick with the JS, especially if you're Diamond.

[Granny DI]

Critterchick,

Thanks for your thoughts. We use the lounge for breakfast, internet service and drinks in the afternoon. We are not Diamond members. I always choose a cruise based on itinerary. I love the size of the GS. All the aft Junior Suites are reserved. I was thinking of reserving 8060 or 8560 and hope that an aft suite opens up. I book cabins from the middle to the aft. I can't handle the front of the ship...even the medication is no help there.

[Paulxyz2004]

Having sailed in Mini Suites on Princess as well as JS and GS on RCI I have to say if you are fine with a Mini Suite on Princess you will be fine with the JS on RCI.

IMO the Mini Suites on Princess compare more to a Balcony on Royal I think the JS on Royal are much nicer layed out.

 

If you don´t want a forward cabin your top choice on the Rhapsody is a JS, as all higher suites are forward.

[Granny DI]

Paulxyz2004,

Thanks for your thoughts. I've been trying to find reviews of the Junior Suites but since the numbers changed after the dry dock last month I'm not sure which cabin I'm reading about. There are at least 12 Junior suites open on the cruise so just trying to find the "best" one. Thanks also for the comparison between the Princess mini-suite and the Junior suite. I feel Princess has the smallest cabins of the big liners so the mini suite is my minimum anymore on a Princess ship.

[Paulxyz2004]

I´ve found this album on google, which has some pics of a JS on Rhapsody.

http://travel.webshots.com/album/560780741KznBVa

 

ETA: I don´t think it´s very recent pics, but aside from some design changes on the interior I don´t think the layout of the cabin has changed.

[Debitoo]

I´ve found this album on google, which has some pics of a JS on Rhapsody.

http://travel.webshots.com/album/560780741KznBVa

 

ETA: I don´t think it´s very recent pics, but aside from some design changes on the interior I don´t think the layout of the cabin has changed.

 

 

Here are some recent pics of a JS AFT corner on Rhapsody.

http://s192.photobucket.com/albums/z75/CassCruise/2012%20Rhapsody%20of%20the%20Seas/

[Granny DI]

Thanks for the pictures. These Junior Suites look just like the Mini suite we had on the Diamond. Our Mini on the Diamond had a huge deck. Anyone know which Junior Suites have the biggest decks....afts are sold out....

[Debitoo]

Thanks for the pictures. These Junior Suites look just like the Mini suite we had on the Diamond. Our Mini on the Diamond had a huge deck. Anyone know which Junior Suites have the biggest decks....afts are sold out....

The largest JS balcony's on the Rhapsody are in the AFT. 8096 & 8596 are the largest. I have 8096 on my cruise next year! :D

 

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/21960358/Public/rh_deck08_v2012-13.pdf

[CassCruise]

Thanks for the pictures. These Junior Suites look just like the Mini suite we had on the Diamond. Our Mini on the Diamond had a huge deck. Anyone know which Junior Suites have the biggest decks....afts are sold out....

Granny DI, the link Debito put up are to my pics - if you look at 8580 that is typical of most JS - having been several times (and also loved) the mini suites on the Diamond (we also loved Emerald Deck for the covered balconies!) I do think they are quite similar - the Diamond mini's are longer but the Rhapsody wider - I would probably give the nod very marginally to the Diamond - but the 2 tv's were probably the main reason on the plus side for the JS on Rhapsody is the tea/coffee making facilities which I (surprisingly) used quite a bit..... having looked in at the GS IMHO apart from the benefits that come with it they really aren't that much bigger (admittedly we did have the corner aft) - or enough for me to justify the extra $$'s - my 2c

 

Jane

[rubrrick]

My DW is presently in Alaska, cruising in a JS on the Rhapsody, and reports that she likes the "feel" of the furniture and the bathroom is re done in "art deco" modern, with new vanities, sink above the vanity.

 

When I say that she likes the feel of the furniture, the new couch is apparently queen sized, and she is able to stretch out on it to read, and says it's very comfortable.

 

When we cruise together, we prefer a full sized suite, as we often dine in, and many days just lounge, and enjoy the additional space for the cost.

 

critterchick is an aft lover, and we have a few other friends that are like her, and will hardly cruise unless they have an aft cabin! We enjoy the side view.....and leave the aft......to the aft lovers!!:D

 

Rick

[critterchick]

My DW is presently in Alaska, cruising in a JS on the Rhapsody, and reports that she likes the "feel" of the furniture and the bathroom is re done in "art deco" modern, with new vanities, sink above the vanity.

 

When I say that she likes the feel of the furniture, the new couch is apparently queen sized, and she is able to stretch out on it to read, and says it's very comfortable.

 

When we cruise together, we prefer a full sized suite, as we often dine in, and many days just lounge, and enjoy the additional space for the cost.

 

critterchick is an aft lover, and we have a few other friends that are like her, and will hardly cruise unless they have an aft cabin! We enjoy the side view.....and leave the aft......to the aft lovers!!:D

 

Rick

 

I love any view from a ship, but I prefer the aft cabins on Vision and Radiance class. But if they're all sold out, any cabin is better than staying home!

[rubrrick]

I love any view from a ship, but I prefer the aft cabins on Vision and Radiance class. But if they're all sold out, any cabin is better than staying home!

 

 

That is exactly what Bobbie says! And like you, sometimes I have to stay home and work.........while she cruises!!:D;)

 

Rick

[gone2c]

We are on the B2B Tasmania/Queensland cruise 2/11/13. We are in JS 8060. I picked it specifically for its location. Convenient to everything.