Rhapsody of the Seas Review

3.5 / 5.0
1,502 reviews
A Balcony cabin aboard Rhapsody of the Seas (Photo: Royal Caribbean)
The Centrum aboard Rhapsody of the Seas (Photo: Royal Caribbean)
The expansive pool deck aboard Rhapsody of the Seas (Photo: Royal Caribbean)
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Editor Rating
3.5
Average
Overall
Lisa Cheng
Contributor

When people think of Royal Caribbean, they often imagine mega-vessels with an interminable roster of wow factors: bumper cars, robot bartenders, skydiving simulators and parks so large they could be part of a floating city.

But, there's much more to the Royal Caribbean fleet than these showstoppers. The 2,416-passenger Vision-class Rhapsody of the Seas isn't the biggest or the flashiest of the fleet, but it does have a lot to offer on a more manageable scale. Activities are aplenty onboard, and there won't be a moment where you're wondering what to do. Active cruisers can tackle a rock climbing wall, fitness classes or a jogging track. Connoisseurs of food and drink can sample wine and cuisine at three specialty restaurants -- or even head to the main dining room or buffet, both of which score high in terms of diversity of offerings and quality of provisions. Evenings can be spent at any of the bars and lounges, sipping hand-crafted cocktails and soaking in music, or at the theater where performers put on nightly shows to packed houses.

Service and consistency are particular strengths on Rhapsody of the Seas -- the result of being a medium-size (and not an overwhelmingly large) vessel. Crew members, from waiters and cabin stewards to the guest services personnel, make an effort to extend their warmest welcome and offer their genuine assistance.

For those who admire ocean views, there are plenty of places onboard to take in the sea breezes -- though not necessarily from your cabin. The ship has just two decks of staterooms with private balconies.

Pros

Personalized service and consistent quality in the main dining room and buffet

Cons

Entertainment options could be improved; shows amused but rarely wowed

Bottom Line

Comfortable, intimate midsize ship offers a solid choice of amenities

About

Passengers: 2416
Crew: 806
Passenger to Crew: 3:1
Launched: 1997
Shore Excursions: 518

Inclusions

Included with your cruise fare:

  • All meals in ship’s main dining room and Windjammer Marketplace, as well as snacks and meals at Park Cafe; also continental breakfast room service options

  • Daily entertainment, including most activities (unless otherwise noted) and all main theater shows

  • Use of the fitness center (excluding classes)

  • Use of the rock climbing wall

  • Adventure Ocean Kids programming through 10 p.m.

  • Gratuities, <strong>only</strong> if you booked your cruise in Australia and New Zealand in AU and NZ dollars

Not included with your cruise fare:

  • Daily gratuities for crew ($14.50 per person, per day for Junior Suites and below; $17.50 per person, per day for Grand Suites and above)

  • Drinks, excluding water, tea (including iced tea), coffee, lemonade and selected juices from the Windjammer buffet

  • Most specialty dining and room service

  • 18 percent auto-gratuities added to all specialty dining, beverage, spa and salon purchases

  • Most fitness classes, and all spa and salon services

  • Activities including but not limited to arcade play, arts and crafts classes, bingo, alcohol tastings, sushi-making classes and casino gaming

  • Adventure Ocean kids club programs after 10:00 p.m.

  • Wi-Fi access and packages

  • Shore excursions

  • Photos, artwork and retail shop purchases

Fellow Passengers

The passenger makeup on Rhapsody of the Seas cuts through a broad swath of people ranging in ages and geographic origins, though when the ship sails to the Caribbean you'll find lots of people from Florida and the Midwest. When the ship voyages through the Mediterranean, you'll find more Europeans sailing. You'll find young couples, families with tots and teens, and retirees on vacation. During school vacation, plenty of school children populate the ship.

Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas Dress Code

Daytime: Dress, for the most part, is casual onboard Rhapsody of the Seas. About the ship, passengers roam around in shorts or jeans, T-shirts or summer dresses for most of the day.

Evening: In the evenings, some people get decked out in their finest -- jackets and ties, flowy dresses -- on formal nights (typically two evenings for a weeklong cruise). Others won't bother with changing from their day wear. The evening dress codes are merely suggestions, in any case. As a general rule of thumb, passengers -- when choosing their attire -- fully embrace the vacation vibe.

Not permitted: There's no fashion police, though swim attire is not permitted in the more formal public venues and tank tops are prohibited in the main dining room and specialty restaurants at dinner.

For more information, visit Cruise Line Dress Codes: Royal Caribbean.

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More about Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas

Where does Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas sail from?

Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas departs from Tampa, Colon, Cristobal, Cartagena, Fort Lauderdale, Port Everglades, and San Juan

How much does it cost to go on Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas?

Cruises on Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas start from $376 per person.

Is Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas a good ship to cruise on?

Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas won 32 awards over the years.
Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas Cruiser Reviews

It's a smaller ship so go with the right expectation or you will be disappointed.

With the Rhapsody of the Sea being considered one of their older and smaller ships, you could definitely notice the quality discrepancy.Read More
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aleapoffaith68

many10+ Cruises

Age 50s

11 Day Island Hopper

This Rhapsody of the Seas “Island Hopper” 11 day cruise out of Barbados was chosen because of the very low price of $345 p/p and the itinerary included three islands we haven’t previously visited.Read More
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Fred&Lily

many10+ Cruises

Age 70s

Beautiful Island destinations

and Anchor Society...their loyalty program is probably one of the best in terms of perks and I take full advantage of it everytime My cabin was spacious and comfortable with all the comforts of a greatRead More
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Cathlie

many10+ Cruises

Age 50s

First half of a back to back cruise

Rhapsody of the Seas Boarding the Ship Barbados – Total chaos. No directions as to where to go, just sending passengers anywhere. It took hours. We’ve never had this problem before.Read More
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mandmcruising14

many10+ Cruises

Age 70s

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