Oh dear. We spent one year looking forward to this cruise after booking, but sadly it turned out to be a massively disappointing experience. I only gave one star because I couldn't give zero, it wasn't really that good!

Clearly in the rush to build bigger and bigger ships, Royal Caribbean has chosen to aim its cruises at the punter who is the lowest common denominator in an attempt to pile in the customers and fill the ships by selling cheaply. With the consequence the ships have been taken over by those people who have decided Turkey et al are too dangerous for them. Problem is these ships were not made for Neanderthals with huge bellies and tattoos (and that is just the women!) and children who roam the seas in packs like modern day buccaneers. I am no snob (I am a working class northerner) but the way these people conduct themselves makes one ashamed to be British, they bring the loathing on themselves: those of us who want an old fashioned cruise should be allowed to enjoy ourselves without feeling we are a part of the show when we dress up on formal night.

So this is where Royal Caribbean have arrived. And the result is a ship where service has been pared to the bone to cheapen the headline price, with the intent to rip off customers as soon as they are captives on the ship. Pay pay pay is the order of the day. Not forgetting the loathsome gratuities added to the account every day. What is that all about, how come when you do not receive a service, you are still expected to pay for it? Read more