Rhapsody of the Seas Review

Rhapsody of the Seas - Western Caribbean

Review for the Western Caribbean Cruise on Rhapsody of the Seas
User Avatar
Patricia J
First Time Cruiser • Age 70s

Rating by category

Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Service
Cabin

Additional details

Sail Date: Nov 2006

I am 53 years old and love to travel, but had never thought I would enjoy a cruise until the last 2 or 3 years. I talked my best friend into going with me, and we chose the Rhapsody of the Seas based on Galveston's close proximity to where we live, high recommendations of Royal Caribbean from people I trust and the itinerary. I was not disappointed and absolutely everything about our cruise met my expectations or more.

I love doing all of the planning, preparation and research before taking any trip. Cruisecritic.com was an invaluable tool as we planned our cruise. I checked it weekly to read the new reviews about Rhapsody of the Seas and also used all of the articles for first time cruisers and what to expect. I booked our cruise online and have nothing but praise for how our reservations and the entire process were handled. I was always kept informed of what was expected of me and received all of my documentation on or before I was told I would. We both applied for and received passports before the cruise, even though we were within the deadline of still being able to travel in the Caribbean with only photo id and a birth certificate. We both decided we would have to get passports eventually, so we went ahead and got them now. We received them in exactly 8 weeks, and did not pay for any expedited service. I made one special request through the online agency regarding our dinner seating. We did not go on the cruise with any desire to meet new people or socialize a lot. My friend preferred the early dinner seating, but we had initially been assigned to the late seating. I requested that we be moved to the early seating and also requested a table for 2, and both requests were approved.

We drove to Galveston on Saturday before our cruise was to leave on Sunday. We live 6-1/2 hours away in Hope, Arkansas, and made the trip with no problems. I had booked a room at the Days Inn in Galveston. It is not on the beach, but was very convenient and was only $50. I was very pleased with the Days Inn, and when we told them where we had planned on eating, they gave us a coupon for a free appetizer and a free dessert. We had planned to eat at Gaido's, but instead ate at Casey's, which is right next door, owned by the same people, use basically the same kitchen, but is a little less formal and a little less expensive. It is right on the gulf coast. Our food was superb and the view was great. We were back in our room in time to watch the Arkansas Razorbacks beat Tennessee on tv.

Cabin Review

previous reviewnext review

Find a Rhapsody of the Seas Cruise from $376

Any Month

Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.