Trip review: Rhapsody of the seas. Solo with a toddler

[beckyboo1986]

I thought I'd share my recent review from our trip departing Barbados on 20th November 2022.

 

I travelled just myself and my toddler aged 19 months. 

 

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have.

 

*********************************************************************************************************************************************************

 

I knew the ship was dated and I paid next to nothing for this cruise, so I came with eyes wide open. 

 

Let's get the slight negative out of the way. I wasn't happy with the cabin. We had 2636. Second from end aft. 

 

I didn't request my cabin as I wouldn't have even known where to choose. The issues I had were with noise. 

 

The sound of the engine woke my baby several times, not ideal. I complained and was offered to move cabins but the hassle of having to pack everything up again to move only a few cabins down, was pointless. 

 

I also hated the shower curtain. Such a shame they don't have the glass/plastic doors. 

 

Other than this, everything else was fine. Lovely stateroom attendant was called Michael. 

 

Service:

 

Fantastic throughout the ship. Everyone was so friendly, especially to my little boy Ethan. I loved the welcomes he got. 

MDR:

 

Food was good, nothing amazing but always a nice meal. Devendrasingh and Sophorn were brilliant. Dev was a pro and clearly should be in charge!

All waiters/tresses greeted us so kindly. Muhammad was also very lovely. 

 

Breakfast was a little slow but nothing major. 

 

Windjammer:

 

I hate buffets as I find them so crowded and other people so inconsiderate pushing in front. 

 

We never had dinner here but had lunch. The food was fine with plenty of choice. 

 

Not always easy getting the highchair or ordering drinks. 

 

Bars:

 

All bar staff were very friendly. Shout out to Arron, Ryan and Rommel. Highly recommend the lavender daiquiri in Schooners bar.

 

Pool:

 

Always space around the pool to get a sunbed. The lifeguards were friendly and kind to my little one.

 

Royal Tots:

 

Excellent service. there were very few children onboard so my little one only went to sessions a few times. Every time he happily played though. We loved being able to go in the afternoon for open play. Often we had the place to ourselves.

 

Overall, we had a lovely holiday. I've put as average only because the issue with the cabin and the fact the ship is very dated.
 

[foodsvcmgr]

Is the issue more a very dated decor style or very heavily worn and poor condition?

 

[Stede Bonnet]

Thanks for posting your review.  I'd also like to know if the ship was very worn

Do you know what were the ranges of time for boarding in Barbados.  I see the sail away is very late.

[ONECRUISER]

On 12/8/2022 at 6:33 AM, beckyboo1986 said:

I thought I'd share my recent review from our trip departing Barbados on 20th November 2022.

 

I travelled just myself and my toddler aged 19 months. 

 

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have.

 

*********************************************************************************************************************************************************

 

I knew the ship was dated and I paid next to nothing for this cruise, so I came with eyes wide open. 

 

Let's get the slight negative out of the way. I wasn't happy with the cabin. We had 2636. Second from end aft. 

 

I didn't request my cabin as I wouldn't have even known where to choose. The issues I had were with noise. 

 

The sound of the engine woke my baby several times, not ideal. I complained and was offered to move cabins but the hassle of having to pack everything up again to move only a few cabins down, was pointless. 

 

I also hated the shower curtain. Such a shame they don't have the glass/plastic doors. 

 

Other than this, everything else was fine. Lovely stateroom attendant was called Michael. 

 

Service:

 

Fantastic throughout the ship. Everyone was so friendly, especially to my little boy Ethan. I loved the welcomes he got. 

MDR:

 

Food was good, nothing amazing but always a nice meal. Devendrasingh and Sophorn were brilliant. Dev was a pro and clearly should be in charge!

All waiters/tresses greeted us so kindly. Muhammad was also very lovely. 

 

Breakfast was a little slow but nothing major. 

 

Windjammer:

 

I hate buffets as I find them so crowded and other people so inconsiderate pushing in front. 

 

We never had dinner here but had lunch. The food was fine with plenty of choice. 

 

Not always easy getting the highchair or ordering drinks. 

 

Bars:

 

All bar staff were very friendly. Shout out to Arron, Ryan and Rommel. Highly recommend the lavender daiquiri in Schooners bar.

 

Pool:

 

Always space around the pool to get a sunbed. The lifeguards were friendly and kind to my little one.

 

Royal Tots:

 

Excellent service. there were very few children onboard so my little one only went to sessions a few times. Every time he happily played though. We loved being able to go in the afternoon for open play. Often we had the place to ourselves.

 

Overall, we had a lovely holiday. I've put as average only because the issue with the cabin and the fact the ship is very dated.
 

Always had great trips with Family. Was Father raising 3 on my own, youngest was 2 when we started Royal. This on Sister Ships Enchantment and Grandeur 20-25yrs ago. Even the Kids program was outstanding back then when was issued a Pager from Royal

[livingonthebeach]

On 12/8/2022 at 6:33 AM, beckyboo1986 said:

I thought I'd share my recent review from our trip departing Barbados on 20th November 2022.

 

I travelled just myself and my toddler aged 19 months. 

 

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have.

 

*********************************************************************************************************************************************************

 

I knew the ship was dated and I paid next to nothing for this cruise, so I came with eyes wide open. 

 

Let's get the slight negative out of the way. I wasn't happy with the cabin. We had 2636. Second from end aft. 

 

I didn't request my cabin as I wouldn't have even known where to choose. The issues I had were with noise. 

 

The sound of the engine woke my baby several times, not ideal. I complained and was offered to move cabins but the hassle of having to pack everything up again to move only a few cabins down, was pointless. 

 

I also hated the shower curtain. Such a shame they don't have the glass/plastic doors. 

 

Other than this, everything else was fine. Lovely stateroom attendant was called Michael. 

 

Service:

 

Fantastic throughout the ship. Everyone was so friendly, especially to my little boy Ethan. I loved the welcomes he got. 

MDR:

 

Food was good, nothing amazing but always a nice meal. Devendrasingh and Sophorn were brilliant. Dev was a pro and clearly should be in charge!

All waiters/tresses greeted us so kindly. Muhammad was also very lovely. 

 

Breakfast was a little slow but nothing major. 

 

Windjammer:

 

I hate buffets as I find them so crowded and other people so inconsiderate pushing in front. 

 

We never had dinner here but had lunch. The food was fine with plenty of choice. 

 

Not always easy getting the highchair or ordering drinks. 

 

Bars:

 

All bar staff were very friendly. Shout out to Arron, Ryan and Rommel. Highly recommend the lavender daiquiri in Schooners bar.

 

Pool:

 

Always space around the pool to get a sunbed. The lifeguards were friendly and kind to my little one.

 

Royal Tots:

 

Excellent service. there were very few children onboard so my little one only went to sessions a few times. Every time he happily played though. We loved being able to go in the afternoon for open play. Often we had the place to ourselves.

 

Overall, we had a lovely holiday. I've put as average only because the issue with the cabin and the fact the ship is very dated.
 

 

Thanks for sharing! I'll be on Rhapsody in April for a b2b island hop out of Barbados then a Southern Caribbean repositioning back to Miami. What was your itinerary? Did you stay extra days in Barbados pre or after cruising? If so where? 

[Jetdriver787]

We have been on 3 of the last/current 4 cruises on this ship (a total of 33 days!) our 13th/14th and 15th cruises with RCI. This is our first cruise in 5 years and the first time without any children and also the first time on one of the “older” ships. Our real estate has been Grand suite/ inside/ Grand suite. 
 

We booked the second two cruises while doing the first, hence the eclectic mix based on last minute availability. Obviously we were sufficiently impressed by our first experience to book the subsequent cruises. 
 

We agree that the crew have generally been great. Every bit as friendly and welcoming as we remember from past cruises. Would also agree with the shout out to Ryan, Rommel, and Kevin at the pool bar and to our MDR wait staff, room and suite attendants and indeed almost everybody we have had any interaction with.

 

The ship is obviously “classic” and a little dated. In many ways that has been quite a positive experience as the distances between venues are much shorter and there is a greater sense of space and comfort. You don’t feel that every inch of deck space is given over to an “attraction” or retail opportunity as is so often the sensation on the newer ships.Certainly less crowds.

 

There is a greater degree of wear and tear than you might ordinarily expect to find on a newer ship but it is generally kept in check in public areas. One aspect that we have found a little disappointing is in the cleanliness of some areas. Dining venues have been excellent on all counts, but some of the public restrooms have clearly suffered from a deficit of scheduled attention. (no soap in any dispensers) and dirty floors. Routine maintenance in the cabins has also been rather disappointing particularly in our latest room. Being an older ship it is inevitable that many of the electrical sockets become loose with age and use, but it shouldn’t be a major issue to replace them as they wear and that doesn’t seem to be happening? 
 

In our latest suite, all of the closet doors are misaligned such that they don’t close properly and swing open. A couple of towel rails are hanging loose a faucet wasn’t running properly. The cabin door won’t close properly as it sticks and needs a concerted pull to get it to click shut. If they would lend me some WD40, a power screwdriver, some new hinges and a woodworking plane, I reckon I could fix most of these in an afternoon. However they won’t (which is fine) but they don’t seem in any hurry either. 
 

I suspect staffing levels are still very much below par, particularly away from the front of house roles and this might explain the deficiencies, but it is noticeable.

[beckyboo1986]

On 12/8/2022 at 4:38 PM, foodsvcmgr said:

Is the issue more a very dated decor style or very heavily worn and poor condition?

 

There wasn't a huge issue as such but I would say a little of both. The look of something, I don't mind so much but draws in the cabin, not easily closing and a shower curtain instead of a screen, those are things I dislike.

 

The lift situation wasn't great either. Having to press multiple buttons to try and get a lift.

[beckyboo1986]

On 12/9/2022 at 3:30 PM, Stede Bonnet said:

Thanks for posting your review.  I'd also like to know if the ship was very worn

Do you know what were the ranges of time for boarding in Barbados.  I see the sail away is very late.

I commented on decor above.

 

I believe you could board quite early, from 11:00 if i remember rightly.

[beckyboo1986]

On 12/9/2022 at 3:57 PM, livingonthebeach said:

 

Thanks for sharing! I'll be on Rhapsody in April for a b2b island hop out of Barbados then a Southern Caribbean repositioning back to Miami. What was your itinerary? Did you stay extra days in Barbados pre or after cruising? If so where? 

You'll have a great time!

 

We visited the following;

Tobago

Trinidad

Grenada

Martinque

St. Lucia.

 

I stayed at Accra beach the night before the cruise. Nice pool, nice beach location and good accessibility with the buggy.

 

I stayed at Coconut Court beach afterwards, brilliant food, friendly staff, beautiful beach section but sadly very difficult with the buggy as so many steps.

 

[Crazy planning mom]

Glad that you had a nice time.  Obviously, the itinerary is different than the usual and is a major appeal for this cruise.  We recently sailed on an older Norwegian ship and tne cabin and ship seemed well maintained and in pretty good shape.   I wonder why Royal can't do the same.   I think this was an issue even prior to the pandemic.

[Joseph2017China]

How can you be solo, if you are traveling with another human?  For the ship, the review is good, but the one thing that I always wonder about is reviews, stating that the ship makes noise (engine noise on a ship?) or the ship is "dated" when ships are moving working machines in the ocean designed to operate over 30 years.  

 

For the poster, you had a unique situation, where you had a balcony over the propulsion system.  Engines are usually mid ship and lower decks will have more noise sometime but regardless the ships do make noise.  

 

Why did you complain when you would not move?  Not like they would stop the ship, during naptime?  They did offer to move you.  

 

Sounds like you really enjoyed the trip with your child, and being on older smaller ships I think make it easier to work with when traveling with kids. 

[Cruise a holic]

On 12/8/2022 at 11:38 AM, foodsvcmgr said:

Is the issue more a very dated decor style or very heavily worn and poor condition?

 

We had the same complaint on the Adventure of the seas- things were rusty, dirty looking and broken items such as  our toilet- coffee machine and in Jr.  in diamond lounge.  Time to either totally renovate ship, or sell.