Would the crowds be overwhelming? Would we spend most of our time standing in line? Shoulder-to-shoulder with other passengers? Searching for seats at every event? We needn't have worried and should have known better - because the folks at RCCL really have their act together.
The staff was superior to any of the dozen-plus cruises we have taken in the past. The dining, show times, and special events are all designed to maximize the comfort and ease of the guest. With an increased number of passengers on this beautiful vessel, we stood in line less than we ever had, and never had difficulty finding comfortable seats for any show. The search for lounge chairs on deck (near the pool) continues to be the eternal challenge, but you could easily find one on the upper deck if you wanted sun. We tried each of the specialty restaurants and found them to be extraordinary in both offerings and service.
Cruise cabins are notorious for being small, but we are only there to
sleep and change clothes because we're out enjoying the offerings of
the ship - so how much space do you really need? The new, rounded
shower stalls with the sliding doors are an improvement to being
attacked by a shower curtain, and the closet was nice and roomy. We
also had plenty of space in the cabin for our toiletries & other
belongings. There were "ship noises" but we never heard a single
passenger or crew member in he hallway at any time. It was a very quiet
area.
The ship offered lots of entertaining activity options like miniature golf, the climbing wall, the Flow Rider (which is as much fun to watch as to try) and other organized games & challenges. You could occupy yourself every moment if you wanted to, or relax peacefully, reading on a lounge in the solarium, glancing up to watch the ocean rolling by while sipping a martini. The Royal Promenade was fabulous - giving you shopping, a pub, a wine bar and 24-hour snacking options in the form of a cafe and pizzeria.
All-in-all, this was one of our best cruises ever, and confirms for us why we rank RCCL at the top of our list.
