This is our second cruise and went with extended family this time. I really don't love cruises in general, but this served it's purposes for a family reunion. We really loved the size of the ship, as I didn't feel it was too crowded even though it was over Christmas. The teenage boys were a bit bored, so I think a bigger ship with more activities would've suited them better. The food is excellent on this ship. We did not have one bad meal in Edelweiss or Windjammer. I can't say enough about the food. I read in other reviews how they thought it was OK, but this was not the case for us. We had 14 in our group of all ages, and everyone was happy. The staff was amazing and became part of our family. We were lucky to have Gopal and Oleh as our waiters and also Martin. They all went out of their way to please us and did it smiling, despite how hard they work. Can't say enough about them! The porters too were great. Respectful and patient. Miguel and Miguel. We enjoyed Elvis and other cruise directors. He's very personable and funny. We didn't have the best excursion experiences, which is what we most looked forward to. Belize was a nightmare. Port was chaotic and sad outside of it. Our Belize excursion was screwed up bad. We asked them about our snorkeling excursion a few times, as the tickets said to meet at the pier and the brochure said a tender would pick us up directly from the ship. We asked which it was, and staff told us to go to the pier (along with 60 other people). Well, they were wrong. We waited and waited, and the tender went to the ship. When they finally figured it out, we lost over an hour and no time was made up. Also, many people bailed, including some of my family members. What a disappointment. This was NOT the tours fault, but the ship. We got some $$ back, but that doesn't matter much to us. The day was spoiled. Read Less

we went on a xmas cruise on the rhapsdy of the sea royal caribbean lines i will start with the good things . So the good was Ryan the shoping guy when you go shoping with him he will save you money if he can't he will find you a better deal . The cabin were nice and the guy taking care was very good at what he does. Now for the bad service was bad the dining -the food was the same for 7 days by wed there was no need to go down to the main dining room food was almost the same on xmas the same nothing new. The entertainment every thing was going on at the same time if you eat in the dining room you miss it all every thing is shut down at 11pm one place for teens open older people have nothing to do. This was our 5th cruise lines this was the bottom i will give it a 1 out of 10.Sothey say if you can't say somthing good don't say anything i can't say how bad it was. We went out of tampa fl went to key west then to cosmal then to belize city if you go off the docks you take your life in your hands whey would a ship go to belize city i don't know.Kid with cups suround you beging of money why you watching the kids other people are walking up behind you it is a very bad place i will stay away from the Rhapsdy of the sea maybe all Royal caribbean BY the way they add18% on everything you buy Read Less

We booked a getaway cruise over the Xmas holiday to the Caribbean (Key West, Cozumel, Belize, Costa Maya) on the Rhapsody of the Seas to escape the cold and in-laws, but I think I'd rather had stayed home for all the issues and the unbelievable and nearly unending noise we had to endure in our cabin. We are not new to cruising, but this was only our second, and probably last, one with Royal Caribbean. The bad omens began even before departure as poor weather at Tampa (storms/tornadoes) and high seas in the Gulf, diverted our embarkation to Port Canaveral, across the state. While no blame to RCI for sending the ship to a safer port, having to take a bus from the Tampa terminal thru heavy Orlando traffic (which added 30min to the usual 2hr drive) was not a great way to start our cruise. The late embarkation also delayed the arrival of our bags to the cabin to after dinner, well one of them. I found my bag in the holding spot for our deck and took it myself back to our cabin. We had a windowed cabin on Deck 3 aft, that proved to be the LOUDEST cabin we have ever had to endure in 10+ previous cruises on RCI and other lines. The cabin happened to be under the kitchen area of the main dinning room (Edelweiss), across the hall from a crew access doorway, just above the engines/props, and who knows what else. The noises including from items dropping/banging, rolling carts, mysterious bangs/rumblings, and the engines reversing during docking (the ship must sail like a pig as dockings appeared to take an extended effort from the port pilots). Fortunately I had packed ear plugs (crying babies on flights and a snoring partner) that were the only way we were able to get ANY sleep as the noises would start very early in the morning (b'fast preps in the dinning room) and not end until late at night. While our cabin steward (Hector!) was amazing, we were rather disappointed with the rest of the services from the Expedition Desk (passing wrong info, see below) to the Buffet attendants (one simply placed a dropped set on tongs onto the buffet that had fallen to the deck). The "adults only" (16+) area of the Solarium was not enforced, making it one of the loudest areas of the ship and there may have been a shortage of deck hands as the deck areas around the pool and especially the jogging path on Deck 11 were not cleared of the water from an overnight rain making the areas very slippery. I generally do not fault the shipping line for any hiccups/problems with any excursions as they are handled by sub-contractors (send the blame/praise directly to the tour company) but I do fault the Excursion Deck for the mix-up with our tour to the Barrier Reef in Belize. Our tour tickets had conflicting information as to where to pick up the tour (one line said at the pier (after being tendered in)) while a separate line indicated the tour would be picked up at the ship). A visit to the Excursion desk the night before indicated that we were to be picked up at the pier (several others also were told the same thing). But after waiting at the tiny pier area that is Belize in the hot, still air (shade rare and a premium) a RCI rep tried to calm the getting angry masses (first explaining that the gathering time was NOT the time the tour started but a 15min buffer (rather excessive)) as the tour boat failed to materialize on time. The the rep unable to get ahold of the operator and eventually granted guests the opportunity to bail (and get a refund) as the wait extended to nearly 45min (AFTER that 15min pre-start gathering) which did reduce the numbers once the boat finally arrived. It was then that we found out that the tour boat had expected to load us at the ship and after being told we were all waiting at the pier, made the nearly 20min ride to come get us. While the rest of the excursion went off without a hitch (despite rain storms in the area), our visit was cut short in order to get back to the Rhapsody before departure. The dining options were generally ok, getting hot food hot (vs warm) was a challenge at times, even in the dining area, but the Chef's Table experience was amazing and highly recommend it. This was my second cruise on an RCI ship and I continue to have major issues with the lack of information readily available to guests, which continues to amaze me. From the lack of a handy little map of the ship, to no current weather info on the in-ship TV channel, minimal info on the tours (not until onboard reading the very short blurbs on the excursions did we realize there was a 90min drive each way to one tour), and surprisingly sparse activity information on the daily sheet made for a frustrating time onboard due to missed opportunities for partaking in some of those events. It was nice to get away for the holidays, but next time, it will be with another cruise line, and on a newer ship. Read Less

We did the back 2 back Venice to Barcelona because of the ports then Barcelona to Tampa because we like transatlantics. The Rhapsody is an older ship that doesn’t have any of the updated features we’ve become accustomed to on newer ships. Can’t view your account from the TV, no selection of movies in your room, can’t hear announcements. So if you don’t like all the bells and whistles this is the ship for you. First time doing a crossing this late in the year December and the weather was pretty good. The entertainment was below par although there was a couple of really good performers the rest was not so good including the ship entertainers. The enrichment topics were not to my liking so we didn’t attend. The food in the dining room although nicely presented was just okay, the food in the Windjammer didn’t look good nor did it taste good. Read Less

So, as they were offering this cruise with prices I last saw in 2007, I couldn't resist and booked an ocean view cabin for this transatlantic. Price covered both of us for what I normally pay for one person. Good start. We usually do balconies, but I figured we could live with a window. We flew into London a couple of days early and just to make sure we would join the ship, I booked the airport transfer WITH RCCL. Worth the extra cost (about 2x what a cab would have cost) to know they were waiting for us. As luck would have it, out of 40 flights on the Heathrow board that morning, only 2 were running late. Ours was one of them. In the end, the flight was only 5 minutes behind, but then, we spent over an hour getting through immigration, so I was still very happy to see the RCCL person waiting for us at baggage claim. He had our bags and off we went. The tip to buy our two bottles of wine to carry on AT the port was a good one. The two for one deal gave us 2 $9 bottles of wine that were the best ones of the cruise! Once on board and in our room, I wish it was easy to change the room layout so that the bed could be sideways and there would be room for a chair to sit by the window. Alas, its about a foot too short, so the bed is under the window and you have to sit on it to look out the window. Not a deal breaker. Lots of places to store stuff, but a downside to the lowest ocean view cabins is that they don't have a mini fridge. I was expecting a rather rundown appearance, as the ship goes to drydock for a refurb in 2019, but was pleasantly surprised to find only some nicks and scrapes to reduce the pristine appearance of the room. Everything worked. We were happy to find the Windjammer buffet well laid out, easy to navigate and rarely so crowded it was impossible to find seating. The food was also better than expected with a great mix of dishes, including some rather spicy stuff, a lovely change from the tendency to bland. Despite that fact that the ship was full, it never seemed crowded and line queues were 3 people, not 30. The shows were quite good. There was a pair of professional dancers onboard, teaching the ballroom classes, but we only saw them in one production show. I would have liked to see them more often. We are not big on Bingo or Trivia, so we tend to hang out and do whatever makes us most relaxed. Plenty of places to do that on the ship and never overwhelmed with people. The most amazing thing was the service. Outstanding! Our room attendent had our names down as we walked in the door and checked with us daily to fulfill our every need. I had purchased coffee cards (if you are a coffee snob, they are well worth it, as the coffee in the cafe is just ok.) By day two, everyone in the coffee cafe knew my name and my order and would say hello before I got to the station! They were chatty and personable and made awesome cappuccinos. Our restaurant waiters were the same. On anytime dining, we expect a new waiter each night, but by day two, Adriana our hostess had us assigned to the same wait staff and always managed to get us a table, even when we screwed with her and found new friends to turn us into a 4 top from a 2 top. Our waiters had the food selections pegged and made great recommendations as to what would be best each night. All in all it was a great cruise! If I would change anything, it would be to schedule enrichment stuff in the afternoons as well as the mornings. Some of us don't get up early! Read Less

This was our first transatlantic cruise and I have been totally converted. I never imagined we would have such amazing weather in December and be suntanning around the pool. The crew went above and beyond to make the passengers happy. The food in the Windjammer (buffet style) was outstanding with a huge variety of choices, to satisfy the most fussy eaters or those with food allergies. Finding a table was never a problem as many people chose to eat all meals in the dining room and be served. Food in the dining room was very average with a lot of the same standard dishes every night and a couple of new choices. It was hit and miss, some nights good and others not. Entertainment staff and cruise director Elvis were great. We could have been kept busy from early morning till late at night with a full program of varied activities had we wanted to. There was never a moment when we didn’t have something we wanted to do, even if it was reading in one of the lounges. Entertainment in the Broadway Theatre was mediocre. Maybe 4 out of 14 nights we had really good entertainment. Possibly this being a repositioning cruise it was harder to find entertainers to stay on board for a long stretch of time. Apart from a few minor complaints like no frozen yoghurt and no instant coffee available, we could not find fault with anything. The ship is small and obviously doesn’t offer what the mega ships have, but the price is also substantially lower. Our port stops in the Canary Islands were fantastic and excursions were wonderful. Sign up on the ship’s roll call to meet new people in advance, and to arrange all sorts of other activities both at sea and on land. Read Less

First transatlantic. As a solo cruiser the ship size suited me perfectly enabling me to get to know a lot of fellow passengers. MDR wait staff were very good for early seating. Our table was for 8 people and it was a great mix, we were very noisy due to the convivial nature of everyone at this table, lots of laughing. It was commented on that we seemed to be having a very good time every evening. Not a huge fan of Nassau but the day was sunny and warm, would have preferred the original Coco Cay port as have not been there. The biggest complaint was the disembarkation in Port Canaveral due to weather issues. The ship's staff were great but the wait times to get off the ship and in the terminal itself were much too long. Entertainment overall was very good but it's time they got rid of the Elton John impersonator, he is terrible. I've been exposed to his act on 3 occasions and it doesn't get better with age so I give it a miss. Other headliners were excellent and the RC singers and dancers were a great bunch. So many Diamond and Diamond Plus members meant the Shall We Dance lounge was very crowded. Read Less

Dining room this cruise far surpassed the specialty restaurants in food offered and service. Menus in the specialty restaurants had been cut down and the items Imost enjoyed in the past were no longer on the menu. This is a smaller ship, does not have a promenade so shopping is limited. I prefer a more intimate cruise in order to interact with other passengers. Crew is very kind and very entertaining. Lots of fitness available outside of the gym to include zumba, live bands in the bars, comedy shows in the theatre all excellent. Embarkation was a breeze, very efficient. Disembarkation somewhat complicated by major storm requiring putting into a different port. Royal Carribean very helpful in making arrangements to get entire boat back to original departing port for those that airline reservations. Despite many storms most days were without much rocking of the boat. Did not avail myself of the excursions but did enjoy all the ports of call. Read Less

Food was unimaginative and generally not particularly well prepared. Main dining room menus were repetitive and pushed filet mignon and lobster with expensive add-on prices. Theater screens/projectors were out of focus, old and inadequate. Schooner lounge space was completely inadequate for trivia while main lounge at the rear seemed to be underutilized. Internet was fast but greatly overpriced with no option to purchase minutes, just days for $30 or the entire cruise for over $300! Good lecturers hampered by poor screens and projectors making reading the charts difficult or (mostly) impossible. Casino had a 5% tax on any use of cruise cards when buying into a game. Chefs table was disappointing when compared to Princess: appetizers and dessert were good and wine selection interesting but entree followed the dining room trend of unimaginative selection and poor preparation. Embark and debark were excellent even with unplanned debark in Port Canaveral rather than Tampa. Most staff members did there best with what they had. Cabin was very good and service was outstanding. Read Less

I sailed on Rhapsody back in October this year and was so happy to return.The ship has a wonderful crew so many remembered me and made me feel so welcome to be back. Cabin 7073 was looked after by a kind man called Norman. To name a few crew members to say thank you to Paul and Willeth in the R bar nice to catch up. Food i thought was as last time really good in the main dining and the Windjammer. What can i say about the entertainment Elvis cruise director wow thanks so funny so entertaining from watching the dance classes, 70's disco and Carols amazing enjoyment. Music in the atrium by everyone was really good again Service was as before in my opinion second to none as the last time thank you. Everyone for me was still the same caring crew wanting to make my vacation special. The itinerary was good but i missed a couple of ports due to an injury but this men't i could enjoy my time on Rhapsody and share sometime wonderful guests who stayed on the ship. Read Less