Liberty of the Seas Review

4.0 / 5.0
2,648 reviews

Royal Carribbean Not What it Used to Be

Review for the Western Caribbean Cruise on Liberty of the Seas
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Sunny Lady 58
10+ Cruises • Age 60s

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Sail Date: May 2017
Cabin: Oceanview Stateroom

I am a Royal Carribbean Crown and Anchor Diamond (almost to Emerald) Club holder. Currently sailing on the Liberty of the Seas out of Galveston, TX. We've been sailing on Royal Carribbean ships exclusively for the past ten years. This is likely our last voyage with Royal Carribbean. Every cruise has been a little worse than the previous one. Quality has definitely gone down, especially in the food and service. Few complimentary food venues, and more "specialty" restaurants (meaning you pay to dine). The food in the complimentary food outlets is mediocre at best, as is the service. Bar/specialty coffee service is VERY slow in the main dining room. I received my order of a glass of wine at the very end of the main course. Cappuccino/lattes ordered were received after the dessert course, and were cold. Our waiters (always attentive in previous cruises) were never available to refill drinks, bring bread or order other items. We had to get up from the table to obtain any of these items. The desserts are abysmal - flat gelatin style cheesecakes, dry chocolate cakes, and over cooked and under-spiced apple pies. Tastes like they unwrapped it right before they served it. Even worse, the waiters are impatient with customer requests.

In the complimentary buffet, Windjammer, cruisers must run a gauntlet of crew hawking the specialty restaurants, drink packages, and other offerings. I would rate the buffet food several steps below something like the Golden Corral. The food is mediocre, limited in variety, and there is no service to speak of, other than crew members bussing tables. The coffee is located in a little cramped corner of the beverage bar, rather than in an easily accessible area where more than one passenger at a time could obtain a cup or refill. To get to the coffee, you must wait in a long line behind all the people getting soda refills. Food on some of the buffet tables is served on long trays, with much of the food unreachable because it is at the back of the tray. Once the "front food" is taken, no crew member moves the remaining food to the front of the trays to make it accessible to guests. The food is removed 15 minutes before the buffet closes, and I have seen serving dishes whisked away from guests with a spoon poised to obtain a helping.

The Windjammer is closed at 9:00 pm, leaving no place other than a pizza-by-the-slice place and a shop serving tiny little sandwiches to get a meal. Or room service, which now has a surcharge of $7.95 for delivery. So of course, the two complimentary food venues open after 9:00 pm are packed. Any food obtained from the complimentary food venues is served on 5 inch plates. There are no trays or any means to facilitate guests who might want a salad AND a sandwich/pizza slice or perhaps to take the food to a less frenetic location to eat. There are no carry out containers - not even large napkins - so guests taking food elsewhere must carry it through the ship uncovered and exposed to any germs on the ship. Condiments are almost non-existent - no grated parmesan in a pizza restaurant? Really?

Cabin Review

Oceanview Stateroom

About what we have encountered on other ships, but getting a bit worn. Mini fridge was not functional, shower drain very slow.

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