A recent article in a national Sunday paper written by a travel writer led me to reflect on my own recent Med cruise. My reflections led me to believe that the biggest, the shiniest or the loudest is not necessarily the best.. A cruise around half of the Mediterranean in the Liberty of the Seas is a first class holiday if you have 1.A family. 2. Are gregarious. 3. Don't drink. 4. Speak several languages. 5. Can shout and, 6. Deal with failed expectations and disingenuous statements.
Three pool areas allow for the entertainment and recreation of the kids in a controlled area is great. Just let them run, free ice cream and liquid refreshment takes the onus of the parent who can then relax with a well deserved and relaxing drink (not free).Choosing when to eat in the evening can be problematic if the activities of the day (on shore trips) eat into the evening or the many shows in the two theaters (one Ice - very good) being missed by late returns from ashore. RCL solved this problem by introducing MyTime dining. This is a procedure whereby one books one's time for his evening meal; generally first or second sitting and whether one wishes to set a deux or sharing. However the reality is that most, if not all of the favoured times (usually determined by the shows) have been booked online (I didn't know you could) before the cruise start time by others better advised. As a result one must share a table (up to eight) if one wishes to dine at that favoured time. Sharing is an experience I would rather forget. One might as well dine alone as we where the only English speaking couple at the table. The rest were Spanish. A language which is both loud and fast. The alternative is to dine in the Windjammer restaurant. A running buffet of immense proportion both on range, quantity and quality. The only fault is that if you have a wine pack and wish to drink one of your bottles it takes up to 25 minutes to get it. The waiters have to go to the MyTime dining room to get your selected bottle. One waiter got it wrong and went to the Chop Grille restaurant for my Pinot Grigio. Although charged against my card, it wasn't recorded against my wine pack (held in MyTime), as a result we were charged $40 for a bottle we had already paid for. RCL dispute this but then they would. Their procedures do not allow for error.
Two formal nights are programmed and encouraged but in truth you can wear what you like and many do (to some the simple act of wearing of a shirt seems to render the situation formal). This isn't fair on those who make an effort but it's your holiday, you paid. They should, however, practice some form of formal/informal segregation in the dining rooms on these occasions. We chose not to go formal and dined in the Windjammer, not wishing to spoil the formal ambiance.