It has been 13 years since we sailed RCCL, having sailed Carnival, Holland America and Princess in the meantime. We were looking forward to being back on RCCL, having always considered this Cruiseline to be our favorite. We also decided to try a larger ship and this is the biggest we have sailed on. The ship is huge, beautiful, has lots to offer, variety of venues and activities, plenty of crew and staff. Boarding went well considering the number of passengers. We were on the ship by 2 pm, cabin was ready and so we dropped off our bags and headed out to explore. It took a while to figure out how to find our way around and we were not prepared for the crowds in the Windjammer, but we were able to grab a bite to eat and continue exploring and getting started on our vacation. Muster went really well and we did not have to wear our life jackets which was a pleasant surprise. After muster, we went back to our stateroom and our luggage was there which was also a pleasant surprise. We decided to try the MDR for our first evening and that was a little disappointing. Too crowded, too much confusion and table assignments seemed too be a problem for many. Our table was full so we had to wait to get a new table and the staff seemed to be unsure of who was supposed to do this, but we finally got a table and we're ready for a nice relaxing meal. Well, the staff was having problems simply meeting the demands of too many people all trying to eat at once, it seemed, and the food was a major disappointment, very bland, very small portions and not as spectacular as we had remembered. We actually felt sorry for the dining staff as they did not seem to be up to speed. I hope that every first evening meal does not turn out like thisi. This did lead to a late night snack at the Cafe Promenade which became a favorite spot. Excellent coffee, delicious sweet treats and the sandwiches were great. Staff were super, too. We did give the MDR a another chance later on that week and can happily say that that meal went a LOT better. Staff seemed more comfortable, it wasn't so crowded and the food was a lot better. We had lobster and shrimp and it was wonderful. We did find that having our evening meal in the Windjammer/Jade cafe was, for us, a much more pleasant experience. Eating there around 8 to 8:30 was peaceful, no crowds, food fresh, hot and plentiful and the staff was great. They weren't so pressured as in the MDR and could actually visit with us and had time to wait on us just as well as the staff tried to do in the MDR a and we could relax and really enjoy our meal. Yes, we had to get our own food, but that was no big deal to us. And the staff checked on us, refreshed our drinks and I really cannot say enough about the service. I don't think the staff in the Windjammer/Jade get enough credit. Lots and lots of things to do all week long. The welcome show in the Alhambra theater was weak as well, but the shows the rest of the week were spectacular. Great comedy, production shows and the ice show is a don't miss. The farewell show was also great. We pretty much wrote off our first night because it did not go well, but our faith in RCCL was restored as the week went on as everything got better and better. Conclusions and observations? Prices have increased. Drinks cost more, shops were pricier, no Fox News on the TV. Enthusiasm among the staff seemed less, their sparkle was gone and we feel that that is the result of the automatic tipping policy. Less incentive for the staff to go above and beyond as we were used to. This is not across the board, though. The staff that excelled in our opinion? Our room attendant, the casino staff and the staff in the Windjammer and Jade cafes. They all did a great job. The cruise director, Jaime, is the best we have seen and we had a chance to visit with him and told him this as well. He was by far the most involved cruise director we have seen. Where did we get to visit with him? In the Windjammer cafe, where else! There is also way too much congestion on Deck 4 from the entrance to the theater through the casino to the atrium. We understand the psychology of wanting to get the most passengers into this area as possible as a lot of money is spent there along with the photo gallery, But this is the most crowded area and we did our best to avoid it, but not always possible. So, overall the ship is not crowded considering, except for this area and look out on formal nights when pictures are being taken. Of course poolside is way too crowded as well, but we expected that and there are plenty of places to find space to relax if a crowded poolside is not your thing. Movies under the stars were fun. We even tried out some of the trivia games and had fun with them. The love and marriage game was outstanding, what laughs we got from that! Rock the boat classic rock band was excellent and they played in the Pyramid Lounge and we caught every one of their shows. They will only be on the ship for a few more weeks. Art auction was pushy, pushy, pushy. Still able to find a bargain for men and women's cologne as I always pick up a fresh new scent for me and DH but the other merchandise for sale has become upscale and pricey for sure. Of course this is all in our humble opinion. We will sail RCCL again for sure as we got a great deal for this cruise and great deals are out there if you are willing to be patient and really study the pricing and itineraries, be ready to book because it dones not take long for the prices to tick up. Also, nice to be able to book shore excursions via the TV and also to keep tabs on our onboard account on the TV. Oh and what happened to the ice buckets and glasses in the staterooms? Minor stuff really, but we will book a smaller ship next time. For us, 3600+ passengers PLUS crew is just too much. We will back down to 2000-2500 or so, that is simply more comfortable for us.