Either RCI’s standards have dropped or they chose to just totally drop the ball on this cruise. This cruise is geared for locals, so if you're not one, avoid this cruise. EMBARKATION: Shanghai’s terminal is far from the city center. The drop off point was very far from the terminal. I understand these are under the port jurisdiction not RCI, but we did see vehicles entering the area. Provisions / shuttles should have been provided by RCI for people with limited mobility. My dad was in a wheelchair so it was fine but my elderly uncle was practically near collapse. Once you enter the terminal, the endless lines for check-in, immigration, security, etc. made for a stressful start. We were supposed to have priority check-in but our companions without priority got through faster. We left our hotel at 10am, got to the drop off around 11am, and finally got on the ship close to 2pm. So you had elderly people with limited mobility walking for 3 hours!!! My husband’s first name (2 names) exceeded the 14 character limit of RCI, so they truncated the last letter. I kept raising concern that this would pose a problem. Our agent and even the RCI reservations personnel said it was ok even if it’s not matching his passport name. Well, guess what happened next? Of course we ran into problems and had to be pulled aside. I feared my husband might not be allowed on board and the ground staff were mostly Chinese and don’t understand English. Good thing I knew enough Chinese to explain that RCI told us his name was too long and that RCI said it was ok, and they let us through. Upon boarding the ship, I asked if there was anywhere else to get lunch besides Windjammer. Most ships have food served in the dining areas. All the staff we asked just had a blank expression and just kept directing us to the 14th floor. Only later did I see on the compass that there were 4 other places where we could have had a less stressful lunch. WINDJAMMER: Chaos all over!! The manager should be fired!! Upon entry, we were directed to the wash area to wash our hands. There was no soap in the dispensers and the sinks were full of wet paper towels. So all we did was run our hands in water. Some of the guests just walked through. The hand sanitizer might have been better than this useless exercise. The overhead signs had nothing to do with what’s offered underneath it. Food was repeated in several areas so we spent a lot of time going from one area to another checking if there was anything else to eat. Food was horrible and selection was few. The orange juice was more water than juice. The utensil containers had all spoons in several spots. So we had to wander around looking for the forks and knives. Hygiene standards were thrown out the window. Things we witnessed: An old lady dropped the serving tongs on the floor. She proceeded to pick them up and place them back. My brother quickly ran and stopped her before they touched the food. We saw someone cough at the drink dispensers. We informed staff to wipe down the nozzles. He picked up the rag he used to wipe the counters, wiped the nozzles, wiped the counter again, then wiped the nozzles again!!! Food was scattered all over the floor, the chairs and tables were sticky. Are they under manned? There's more but this review would become too long. The local guests have no manners and no basic hygiene standards. They would eat off the food trays using utensils they’ve had in their mouths. I know this is not RCI’s fault, but this is not their first cruise out of Shanghai. Steps should have been taken to police these or prevent this behavior. Have enough people stand by watching the food counters and stop them. On other cruises, the buffet section is open almost 24 hours a day. We can go up after shows even around midnight to have a little more food. Here, Windjammer closes at 9pm. ELEVATORS: The doors don’t seem to have sensors or don’t work. The locals will push and shove their way in and out. They don’t observe the courtesy of letting people out then in. Once, I let people out and as I was pushing my dad’s wheelchair in, a guy started pressing the close button and the doors proceeded to close on my dad. I ran forward to activate the sensors but nothing happened, so I pulled the wheelchair back. Knowing this behavior, on another occasion, I ran into the elevator and pressed the Open button while the guy on the other side furiously pressed the Close button while my husband pushed my dad’s wheelchair in. We had to prop open the doors. Several times we see people hitting the Close button while people were still getting on, and the doors do not stop closing. The elevators also miss floors or reverse directions unexpectedly, and not because they’re already full. I got on to an empty elevator, on the 5th to go to 13th floor. The buttons for all floors were pressed so I had to wait as we stopped at every floor even with no one getting on or off. However, after the 11th floor, the elevator then went down without reaching 13. On another occasion, I got on, on the 14th, hit 9, and the elevator just went all the way to 5th. DINING ROOM: Forget the fine dining setting you normally expect. Not only was the ambiance shot with all the guests shouting at each other, the menu was one piece of board with pictures of the food, like in a cheap eatery. The food was at food court level except it was served. Soup was served dripping all over the side. No plating skills evident. Appetizers, soup, and entrees were brought out at the same time and dumped on our tables, sometimes in the middle family style, as they didn't even bother remembering who ordered what. They seemed in a hurry to just plop down the cafeteria food on the tables and have us on our way. We were in a mess hall, not fine dining rooms SPECIALTY DINING: Ok, these were good. And we had to resort to these (which was probably RCI’s intent – more $$$) to get away from the chaos in the free areas. Staff in these areas were also very well trained. Special commendation to Carla Ann Flores in Chops and Lorraine in Jamie’s for their excellent service and friendly demeanor. I also want to commend Erika Szente, the Specialty Dining Manager for wonderful service. OTHER F&B – Two70 is beautiful. I also want to commend John Gabanzo (or a last name that sounds like this) from the Philippines for excellent service. He saw I was alone with my dad in a wheelchair, so he helped find a table for us and brought us food as I couldn’t leave my dad alone. On other cruises, we look forward to the healthy food offerings from the Solarium. Here, it’s breakfast only for suite passengers, and hotpot with a $35 charge for lunch and dinner. ROOM SERVICE – Again, on other cruises, room service was free except after midnight. Here, there’s a delivery charge + 18% gratuity. My mom (who was a suite passenger) tried to order breakfast (after seeing the line at Windjammer reaching the stairs) and wasn’t allowed to order before 9am. ENTERTAINMENT – The 2 production shows were good. There was a special show called StarWater where reservations were required. The compass said nothing about charges. I was able to book free of charge, but my companions were charged $29 per person to watch this show. Is RCI taking advantage of first time cruisers? OTHER ACTIVITIES – Get better people. The Zumba instructor was out of rhythm and timing, it was so difficult to follow. The steps were repetitive and cheesy. Groovy Town was cheesy but fun. The jazz instructor was better but we basically just did warm up exercises and it was done. The Western Dance Party started out cheesy fun, as we danced to Achy Breaky Heart, then they stopped it to do a parlor game. Why? Who cares? Only the people who are related to the 6 guys selected for the game. It went on for way too long and broke the mood and momentum, so we left. The Fireworks party was lame as well. We went around looking for a place where we could drink and party and there was no such place. So we just called it a night. Highlights were Flowrider, Ifly, and the Seaplex activities which were managed well. PROMENADE – There’s no grand 3 story or 7 story lobby here. Just a shopping mall with bargain sales going on at all times in the middle. It was like Black Friday sale all the time in the area, with the locals grabbing and shoving and sheer CHAOS all over too. The promenade became a place to avoid as well. OTHER PUBLIC AREAS – The locals were allowed to smoke away with total abandon. Even walking on the pool deck and sports deck was not an option, let alone, lounging and relaxing, as the areas got really smoky. The entrance to the Music Hall on the 3rd Floor was through the casino, so we had to hold our breaths and run through. RCI just wants us to stay holed up in our rooms. Yeah, the ship was beautiful but we can get that with other ships or cruiselines. You don’t have to go on this one. The non-local staff were great. And you can see the weariness in their eyes and smiles as they contend with the unruly guests. The lady at our muster station got shouted at by guests who wanted to leave the drill before it was over. And once she was out, everyone else followed and ignored the drill. Local staff need better training. Overall, this was an easy money grab for RCI. Nickel and dimed all over. Everything came with a tag price. And I’m sure they made a killing at the casino and the shops. Totally geared for the standards and habits of Mainland Chinese. But for a normal cruiser, this was a stressful and chaotic cruise. Read Less

My family of 4 chose this cruise mainly because we wanted to visit Japan, next thing was because we wanted to experience a 5 star cruise. Embarkation at Baoshan port, Shanghai was a true nightmare. It took us nearly 3 hours to get on the ship. Chinese shore staff didn't speak English or pay attention to who we were. Since we were also Asians, they kept pointing us to the long queue line of Chinese people while Western people were allowed to the International Passengers Queue Line. I tried to talk to them but they ignored me. We were pushed by so many Chinese people and went deeper into the crowd. The customs procedure had many unnecessary steps. However, embarkation and disembarkation at Japan ports were so much smoother and faster. Our rooms were balcony staterooms located on deck 9. The rooms and everything else were amazingly beautiful. The cruise crews were also very nice, kind and friendly. They all had excellent English skills. I have no complaint about the cruise and its crew members. Anyway, before every lunch and dinner at the complimentary restaurants on the cruise, we had to spend 30-45 minutes to queue. Foods were good but not many choices. The Windjammer buffet was large and always crowded but there were actually only a few dishes that were categorized mainly for Chinese people. Half of the shows and entertainments on the cruise were performed in Chinese language. I think 95% of the passengers were Chinese. Hiroshima and Kochi were beautiful in this time of year. I wish the ship had stopped at each port for a longer time than just 5-6 hours. Maybe I will want to cruise again but not any cruise that departs from China or stopping by China. Read Less

Got a cheap deal and booked quickly - a bit of a last minute plan. I had a good time but I wish I had read more reviews before deciding on this cruise! I travelled with my partner and we have been on one RCI cruise previously (7 days out of Venice) which we very much enjoyed. This time we had 2 days beforehand and 3 days afterwards in Shanghai - we spent a lot of time in museums, up towers and eating, as it was very cold outside and we weren't inclined to wander too much! The metro was very helpful in getting from place to place. Getting to the port was a bit of a hassle, as it was difficult to get the taxi driver to understand where we were going, and there was a nasty traffic jam that slowed us down considerably. Embarkation was smooth - we were channelled into a fast lane. The ship itself was impressively large and modern. Our cabin (9716) was configured with a comfortable king size-ish bed (the bed was curved at the bottom, so it was probably full king-length in the middle but not on the outsides). The bathroom was small but functional, as one would expect on a cruise ship. Everything was clean and pleasant. The cabin also had a balcony, which was lovely (although it was too cold to be outside for long periods!) Dining was where we really started to notice that this was an experience designed for Mainland Chinese travellers, and although we hadn't anticipated this would be a problem, it kind of was. There have been some changes since the ship was launched. Johnny Rockets has closed and been replaced, I think, by the Kung Fu Panda noodle shop. At least half the dishes on the dining menus were Chinese, and that included places that implied another kind of cuisine e.g. American Icon Grill and Michael's Genuine Pub (which had one dish - chicken wings - that I could imagine seeing at a traditional pub, and was in all other ways more like a hotpot restaurant). All this is fine, except that I'm a vegetarian, and there is little demand for vegetarian food among Chinese customers, so very little vegetarian food on the ship. Several of the dining options had no vegetarian options on the menu whatsoever, and although most said they could accommodate vegetarians, I'm a bit suspicious of an anonymous dish that isn't good enough to go on the menu. I ended up eating in the Windjammer for most meals, and not asking what was in anything. This was very different to our previous cruise experience, where I very much enjoyed the food and felt I had a lot of options. (Also of note: Chinese consumers are generally not into Diet Coke, so many of the bars on board don't have it. This is an unfortunate thing to discover just after you've bought a beverage package!) As many have said, the Windjammer could be very hectic, and even with a group of 2 it sometimes took a long time to find a table, or even the part of a table to share. We did our best to avoid peak times, but when we arrived at a busy time it was quite frustrating. We did visit Jamie's Italian one evening, and the food was very tasty, but adding up the $35USD pp + drinks + "service charge" it ended up being about the same price as going to the Jamie's Italian in Sydney, which is a bit startling when you recognise that you've already paid for dinner as part of the cruise (and it would have been much worse value if you didn't have 3 courses). The other big disappointment was activities. Every day we were issued with a daily planner, but the vast majority of the activities in English were either $$$ outright, or invitations to buy something (Get a body check at the Japanese Clinic! Come and look at some art that is for auction! Free inch loss consultation at the spa!) A number of times we showed up for something that was listed on the planner, only to discover that it was actually to be conducted in Mandarin. We did participate in a wine tasting which we very much enjoyed (and didn't mind paying for). The story was very similar with shore excursions - there was only one English language option in each of the ports, compared to a number of Mandarin language options. We decided to do our own thing in Nagasaki, and I think that was the right decision - Nagasaki has a great tram system which makes it easy to get around. Initially we'd intended to go to the ropeway and the gardens, but the weather was not so good, so we ended up going to the atomic bomb museum and a few other things much like what we would have done on the shore excursion anyway. In Okinawa we did the one available shore excursion going to Shuri Castle and the Gyokusendo caves - this was fine, but I would have much preferred to spend some time at the crafts village that we dashed through on the way back from the caves. As the boat moors so far away from anything in Okinawa I'm not sure we would have been able to make our own way anywhere. The staff we encountered were without exception lovely, courteous and helpful. Overall, I think the experience was a good one but the options are quite limited for non-Mandarin speakers, and for anything that doesn't fit with Chinese cultural expectations. If I had it to do again I would probably choose something different. Read Less

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Initially chose this sailing because of the large ship and the nice itinerary. However, be prepared with the number of guests this ship can accommodate. At the checkin at Baoshan Port in Shanghai, the process was well organized and controlled despite the large numbers. Expect a total check-in time of at least an hour from entering the terminal, luggage drop-off, seapass card claiming, security, customs, and immigration up to boarding of the ship. Windjammer is too small for the total capacity. You will be seated separately from your group since the seats are all taken. There will be queues to get food at the buffet. Rooms and Housekeeping are as expected for Royal Caribbean. If you are a group of 8 or more cabins, visit the Group Coordinator, they help out alot! It was my first time to be on casual dining set-up. Make sure to reserve at any of the four main dining restaurants at the first day of the cruising as all these get filled up quickly. The food is not as good as previous Royal Caribbean sailings. Shows are not as high quality as previous sailings too. The shows are usually song and dance numbers. Different from the musicals and circus type shows that i expected. Expect waits at the elevators, because of the number of guests again. Disembarkation process will take more than an hour. In general, 1) service is not as personalized on this ship as compared to previous sailings. 2) expect long waiting times for anything that involves queueing (the crew are able to control the queues though, so little pushing and queue cutting happens) 3) if ever there are any activities that require reservations, make sure to reserve as they have very few slots in relation to the number of guests onboard. Read Less

As others have mentioned before, this cruise was different from your typical Caribbean or Mediterranean Royal Caribbean experience. We chose this itinerary for the suite class and its benefits, and for the ports of call. Overall, we found the high quality of service from the crew, the suite perks and the Japanese ports to encompass a memorable holiday vacation. This was our second time on Quantum of the Seas having experienced her maiden voyage from Southampton to Cape Liberty. Highlights: Embarkation Since we had Golden Suite Class this process was a breeze. The two things I would point out is that you must sign a damage release form for soft baggage at the pier and that your passports will be collected upon check-in and not returned until the day before disembarkation. Remember to make copies. The port opened at 11am and we were on the ship by 11:30am. Customs and Immigration was efficient. We immediately went to the Solarium and were surprised to see that it was closed off for suite guests only. After a few days of hectic air travel and touring Shanghai the serene calm of the Solarium hot tub was a relaxing way to start the trip. Owner’s Loft Suite 8720 One of the main reasons we booked this cruise was because the Owner’s Loft Suite was available. This suite, which is on the back of the ship, is bigger than my apartment and boasts three balconies. The upstairs bathroom is enormous and you could fit another bedroom in the walk-in closet. Our room attendants were so sweet and perhaps the most accommodating and thoughtful I’ve ever experienced on a Royal Caribbean ship. We were also given a complimentary ride of the North Star just before we pulled out of port in Fukuoka and a bridge tour. This suite was truly memorable and special treat to stay in. Fukuoka and Nagasaki This was my first visit to Japan and we booked half day tours through Royal Caribbean at both ports. As others have said before, the Chinese passengers book tours through other vendors and vacate the ship in large groups. We left both of our tours at the end before the bus returned to the ship and walked back after exploring each city. The Half Day Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Site and Museum Tour was very informative and a good history refresher. Departure at each port was efficient and we returned to the ship with no line. Food and Drink The bartenders are bored on this ship and it made for great entertainment. We spent quite a bit of time on the ship chatting with the bartenders at Schooner bar (Zen is the best) and Michael’s Genuine and with the dining staff at Izumi. They went above and beyond with their service and I hope to see them in the future on another ship. We enjoyed the private breakfast area and afternoon canapes for suite guests along with the drinks and snacks in the suite lounge. We only ate in the Coastal Kitchen one night, but the service and food were of expected quality. We enjoyed the 10 course Da Dong menu at Wonderland. The duck was very good. We also ate at Jamie’s Italian. I would say this was the only disappointing meal. The service was slow and food was not up to par. The sandwiches and soups were tasty in the Two70 Cafe, but it can get a bit crowded and pushy. Sorrento’s was still old faithful for late night after a couple of cocktails. My favorite snack place on our previous voyage was the Dog House in the Sea Plex and it is still great. We did not eat in the Windjammer or the Main Dining Room. Disappointments/Noted Differences/Observations: -Golden Suite Class is not the same as Royal Suite class i.e. no free internet. -Drink packages are a steal on this ship compared to others. Internet is not. I recommend buying a SIM card and using your phone in the port if you are desperate for a connection. -Always make an appointment with NextCruise. We got a great sale for future cruises on this ship. -They did not convert the Music Hall into a casino area yet. -Coca-cola machines do not vend. -Wine dispensers to not vend at Vintages. -No Stoli Elit. -5 nights, it’s much shorter than I anticipated. -Be sure to make it to the adult version of the Quest on this ship. -Be sure to go to English Trivia if you are hankering for some english conversation. -Suite lounge is located at the back of the ship making it a trek to get back there. -I called ahead and paid for transfers through RCCL, but they didn’t have us on the list when we left the dock. It only took about 15 minutes to remedy. Having never been to China or Japan, I think this cruise was a great introduction to these countries. We flanked our trip with a few days in Shanghai before the cruise and a few days in Tokyo after the cruise before returning to the states. To conclude, we enjoyed this cruise and were not disappointed by the cultural submersion on the ship. If you are prepared to be outside of your comfort zone as a westerner you will do well on this itinerary. Read Less

We did three consectuive sailings I think though because we were in a suite we didn't need to line up embarkation was super smooth Priority access boarding for suites guests, Pinnacles, Diamond Plus, Diamond, Emerald and Platinum. Gold cards holders could eat at the Coastal Kitchen for breakfast, lunch and dinner if you wanted to at no extra charge. Silver card holders could use the Coastal Kitchen for evening Meals. This is a brilliant restaurant with waiter service and everything is cooked freshly for you The Windjammer is very busy but had some nice options. We ate at the Hot Pot twice excellent, Jamies Italian three times excellent, Izumi great choices and Wonderland was great. Disembarkation at the ports was great as well with the conceige escorting you off and back onto the ship. The conceige lounge on deck 12 aft was a littele oasis as well as the Spa I beleive if you are not in a suite you would be pushed and shoved quite a bit. We loved the entertainment and found that most of the shows were in English The cruise Director Kris was hysterical and his assistant Bonnie was absolutely great. We booked a local guide in Shangahi with China Tours also in Nagasaki we found this invaluable and they took us to non tourist places as well We went on the bullet train from Yatsushiro to Kumamoto which took 11 mins a great experience. Overall we loved the ship and all the staff everyone seemed very Happy to help Read Less

This was our first time in Asia and we had our 8 year old child with us. Before the cruise portion of our trip we explored Shanghai Disney and after the cruise we stayed 5 additional nights to explore Shanghai. The entire excursion was simply extraordinary. Our cruise experience was full of wonderful surprises and we felt like the staff took great care of us the entire time from embarkation to disembarkation. We are open to different cultures, respect traditions of others and genuinely want to immerse ourselves in all that international travel has to offer. 99.9% of the passengers were Chinese nationals and we were able to learn a lot from many wonderful interactions with the fellow passengers. Ship - clean, large, spacious, technologically advanced. Cabin - Master Suite with large balcony, 1.5 Bathrooms, Dining Area, Bedroom and Living Room. Master Bathroom with Jacuzzi tub, separate shower, two sinks, toilet and half bath with toilet and sink. Dining on the ship was excellent, we had access to VIP restaurant for all meals, we tried most of the restaurants and food was great with a lot of choices. Entertainment and Activities were good. Service was always above expectations from our cabin attendant, restaurant staff, and most of all we appreciated our concierge level service. We were occupied with great entertainment. We were invited to the bridge, had the pleasure of meeting the first officers and all staff in charge of each department. After meeting the cruise director, he sent to our cabin a bag with cruise memorabilia and facts about the ship. Our son had a few questions which were all answered with this very nice unexpected gift. Ports and Shore excursions - Nagasaki - beautiful City we took a full day excursion and were able to visit all of the important spots that were of interest to us. After the excursion we still had two hours to explore areas near the port on our own. We walked in the wonderful streets to a large supermarket, purchased some souvenirs, Japanese Whiskey, Sake and had some sushi. Kumamoto - the port was far from the city of Kumamoto but we decided to explore the area on our own. After a bus ride from port to the nearby city (not Kumamoto) we took another bus to a train station. We took a train to Kumamoto and then the high speed train back. What a great way to learn more about the local culture and the people. While exploring Kumamoto we encountered numerous friendly locals who guided us to various points of interest. We visited the Kumamoto Castle which is currently under renovation as it had been damaged in an earth quake. Make sure to purchase some Kumamon bear souvenirs for the whole family! As I have mentioned previously, we traveled with our 8 year old. He was fascinated with the entire experience, very quickly found other kids to play with and the language was not a barrier as many kids do understand English and some can speak it well. He enjoyed exploring the new food flavors, was excited to see and experience new things. We would go again in a heartbeat, and even the long flight from the East Coast of the US does not seam to be enough to keep us from wanting to return there. We felt the trip was one of the best we have had in a long time. We highly recommend this itinerary to those who are hungry for new experiences and open minded to different cultures. We found that what made the experience even greater were the kind and wonderful people we met and interacted with during this amazing visit to Asia. Read Less

This cruise was part of a group tour including five days visiting the water towns around Shanghai and two nights in Shanghai before the cruise. We had heard horror stories about these 'Chinese Immersion' cruises, but our experience was different. The passengers were 95% main land Chinese. First the bad points: - Boarding was chaotic. Our travel agent (the last time we will use them) had not reported our Diamond status, so we could not use the express line and it took over an hour to board. - Disembarkation was worse, crowds pushing into lines and making it difficult to find our bus. A problem with our plane left us sitting on the tarmac for six hours, then spending a night in a hotel and flying home a day late. That wasn't the fault of the cruise line however. - Elevators were often crowded. The cruise director joked that the ship was going for a Guiness World Record for getting the most people into an elevator. Good points - Our cabin, inside , was compact, but had plenty of storage and a 'virtual balcony' which showed us what was going on outside. The cabin steward kept our room immaculately clean. - We did not book any restaurants, but for every meal we were shown to a quiet area with other 'international guests'. We never used the buffet. A restaurant was set aside for 'international guests' for breakfast and for lunch on sea days. There are four main dining rooms, Chic and Grande which have the same menu and Silk and American Icon which also share a menu. There just seemed to be two menus for each pair and they alternated daily. - Menus had two sections, Western and Chinese. We tried all these restaurants and a variety of dishes and really only had one poor meal. The rest was not exciting but perfectly edible. We did not feel the need to dine in any paid restaurants. Tables were not assigned, but it was not really open seating either. The doors were open 6 - 6:30 and 8: - 8:30 and you could enter whichever dining room you liked at those times. We usually went about ten minutes past eight and had no trouble getting seated in a quiet area. Passengers started queuing at quarter to, but were seated remarkably quickly. - Once we had established that we were at Diamond level we were able to use the Suite Lounge and the Solarium, which on this ship had restricted access. This was a definite benefit because these areas were never crowded, coffee and snacks were available all day and drinks flowed freely in the evening. The small number of past cruisers on this ship gave us this benefit because there was no Diamond Lounge. - The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, more so than on any other cruise we have taken. - The Chinese passengers were generally polite (except in elevators) and those who spoke English were keen to chat. These were mostly younger people, who were very different from the older generation. I can imagine that if you lived in a city of 29 million people like Shanghai you would need to be a bit pushy and the older people had lived through the hard times of the Cultural Revolution. Incidentally we never saw anyone spit, on the ship or on land. This is something other reviewers have complained about. Other points, good or bad according to your opinion. - There was no stated or even suggested dress code. Passengers in the dining rooms were clean and tidy, but walking around the ship some were quite scruffy. - The casino was a smoking area. I don't know if this is normal on RCI, we had only cruised once with them and that was 25 years ago. (We are frequent Celebrity cruisers so had reciprocal status) This area was packed every night and we even saw table games being played at 8:30 am. We were not sure if they had been there all night! - North Star and iFly were chargeable, which surprised past RCI cruisers. Overall we enjoyed the cruise. We visited the Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum in Nagasaki and explored Kochi on our own. We have visited China three times and Japan twice now, so will probably not cruise this area again. I would recommend this cruise for its excellent value to anyone who is not looking for a traditional cruise and like us would not be concerned about the ethnic mix of the passengers. Sheila Read Less

We choose this cruise to see the places in Japan and to link it with our extended holiday and to have a very special occasion which is my daughter's wedding ceremony on this cruise. Although the majority passengers were Chinese and they have shown limited regard for personal space, consideration of others and privacy, the services and entertainment onboard Quantum of the Seas were an absolute disgrace. It reminded me on the different "Classes" when traveling by train. The food in the Windjammer buffet was always not hot or cold but room temperature, glasses and cups limited and very dirty. As usual the lack of tables and chairs in the buffet. Entertainment and shows were not in English which is the international accepted language of communication. Other entertainment was non-existing or fully booked. Only one show session per evening. As for the wedding ceremony, the facility was booked but nothing done to make it special. The photographer had no idea of ensuring his camera is nin focus when taking photos for such an important occasion. (this was the whole purpose of our cruise - we were a group of eight adults) Trying to book dinners etc, was not that easy. But thanks to the staff, they made it possible to have a laugh all the time for us! Embarkation and disembarkation were total failures. Disembark 3 hours late due to unexplained reason. Cost us extra to have our our train tickets Changed in Shanghai. RCI will not refund that, nor will my travel insurance, both just passing the ball... No theme nights on the cruise. Read Less