We sailed on Royal Caribbean to the fjords of Norway in August 2013. We were really disappointed in the cruise after our experience on a different line. Now that I've sailed again, I know that the RCI disappointment was not just from unrealistic expectations.

The itinerary through the fjords was fine. We didn't take many excursions because they were all sold out and staying in port didn't offer much. One big issue with the trip was that the ship was 'sold out' and as a result, the ship's services couldn't match the demand, such has not having enough excursion capacity.

The dining rooms had set times - no 'freestyle eat when you want' services. And the food in the dining room tasted like it had been 'plated' and kept on warmers until the doors opened. That meant fast service but mediocre food. If I had been served that food in a local restaurant, I wouldn't have bothered going back. After 2-3 nights of that experience, we didn't go back but ate in the 'buffet-eria'. That food was actually better because the turnover was so high that it was hot and fresh. Unfortunately, the dining rooms didn't have enough tables to seat everyone who wanted to eat, so some times we took plates back to our cabin. For some we tried eating on the deck, but the cold wind as we crossed the North Sea made that uncomfortable. After a while we just tried to eat early or eat late and avoid the main dining hours. Read more