We have been on Royal Caribbean 16 times prior and this was by far the BEST experience ever! From start to finish - perfect. Very quick and easy boarding in Civitavecchia, which can sometimes not be the case. They handled shore excursions differently than in the past and it was the most organized movement of people we have experienced on RCCL. We had a balcony cabin and though room stewards have always been great in our experience this guy was over the top good. We mentioned to him that the heavy blanket was a bit much and he didn't need to put it on the bed. An hour later he had 3 different quilts delivered from 'inventory' for us to choose from.

We chose 6:00 dining and our waiter and especially the assistant waiter were again, the best. We have had issues in the past with the alcohol packages and lack of drinks being offered - usually having to ask and wait. Our assistant waiter was aware of our last bite of bread, or drinks running low - including wine and mixed drinks. We were never without a fresh drink.

The entertainment was the best we have seen (on the smaller ships). There was a problem with the electronics and the curtain the first several nights, so they rearranged the entertainment. The Celtic Tenors performed two different shows with lots of audience interaction and humor. Claire Vinkesteijn put on the most energetic and beautiful performance of the week and Graffiti Strings certainly entertained us with their classics and modern renditions. It is no wonder that I heard Jewel is rated RCCL #1