Embarkation/Disembarkation What a nightmare!!! A 15 minute taxi drive from Newark Airport to Cape Liberty took 15 minutes but add another 1 1/2 to 2 hours each way sitting in a frustrating lineup at the terminal!!! Passengers were calling this the most "Mickey Mouse" operation they have ever seen. We agree. Many people missed their flights home. It was a very stressful way to start and end the cruise! Having taken 12 cruises in the past from 7 different ports and four different cruise lines-this was the worst-by far. Royal Caribbean simply "passed the buck"
Staterooms We have always booked balconies. This was the tiniest balcony stateroom on the largest ship we have cruised. You bumped into each other. To access the balcony, there was so little space between the bed and the wall, you had to go sideways. Water pressure was very low.
Food What a disappointment!! The quality of food and presentation were akin to having a meal at Denny's- this is not to disparage Denny's but to compare the quality of food to Carnival or Norwegian. On these other two lines, you had to have your camera ready for dinners. The Dining Room menu was very repetitive and uninspiring. Had it not been for our excellent Table Waiter, Elena, we would have skipped the dining room altogether. But our other dining option was even worse. The buffet was so ordinary with almost all foods the same every single day for breakfast,lunch and dinner. If you like hamburgers,hot dogs, fries or mash potatoes every day, then this is the cruise for you. The only plus in the buffet was the very attentive service staff. There was sadly only one specialty restaurant on board, Portofino's, where the menu was excellent. But there was a forty dollar cover charge for dinner for two.