We just returned from the September 18th sailing of the Rhapsody of the Seas. This was our tenth cruise and our fourth on RCI. Embarkation: We flew to San Diego, spent the night in a hotel downtown and took public transportation to Ensenada. The trolley to Tijuana was $2.50 per person and the ABC bus from Tijuana to Ensenada was about $11 per person. The cruise line charged $ 85 per person for transfers for transfers from the airport to Ensenada. The only problem occurred when we tried to check in we were instructed to go to a hotel several miles from the ship. This ended up costing another $25 and we were on the shop by 4:30 pm. Cabin: Our inside room was quiet and comfortable. The bedding was soft and much improved since my last cruise with RCI. Our room steward, Daniel, was fantastic. The best room steward we have ever had on a cruise. Our room was immaculate. In fact, the whole ship seemed very clean with staff observed continuously cleaning. Ship: My favorite areas on the ship were the 5th deck where if it was too windy near the pool, I could comfortably read my books; the solarium, and the beautiful atrium.

Entertainment: The cruise director Tim Seivert was great! He was very personable and so funny! The RCI production shows were just ok. They weren't even up to par with some I have seen at various amusement parks! My husband and I enjoyed the casino, even though we lost more than we won! Captain Nyseter had a real nice welcome aboard party. Even though I was a little seasick, I did manage to climb the rock wall which was fun! They had a Hawaiian luau on the fifth night at 11:30 pm that was real nice, but at that late of an hour, it was difficult for me to really enjoy it. Dining: We ate most of our dinners in the Edelweiss Restaurant. Our servers Deepak and JingJing were extraordinary. They anticipated our every need and were very efficient! The food in the dining was very good. The main courses and desserts were delicious! The only complaint we had was with the shrimp cocktail that was served unpeeled with cocktail sauce poured over the top! When my husband and another member from our table complained to an upper management level staff member they were told it was due to "cutbacks". The Windjammer buffet was disappointing at breakfast. Most mornings the pancakes and waffles were hard and only lukewarm. They did offer a nice selection of fruits. The lunches in the windjammer were delicious! I loved the Indian food offered and the desserts were fantastic! The pizza in the Solarium was pretty bad, but they serve great French fries! Fitness Center: The gym had a nice selection of exercise equipment, although I never used them. The spa has a nice relaxing steam room and sauna one can use free of charge.

Highlights: The overall cleanliness and elegance of the ship, along with the friendliness of the entire crew made this a great cruise and allowed for some fine relaxation time before hitting the ports of call! Our tablemates at dinner were the best! We were lucky to have such a warm and funny group. Normally, we don't care to go to the dining room to eat since we have to dress up, but with such a great group to socialize with, I strapped on my high heels! My husband appreciated the "The New York Times" synopsis that was provided every day for free near the coffee shop. We appreciated the free tote bags and coupon booklet we received for being previous cruisers and belonging to the Crown and Anchor club. Room for Improvement: Definitely the tendering process needs to be better organized. It seemed like mass confusion, tender ticket numbers weren't called over the PA system right away. With limited time on these islands, I think RCI needs to improve this. We were not able to get on the tender until 11:30 in Kona, a whole hour after the tenders started running. We found out later some people who were hanging out in the hallways and just walked on without tickets when there was space available from groups that were on ship tours. I think ship tours are best in ports where there is tendering involved and limited time! Also, I wish they would have such events like the Hawaiian Luau and the Gala Buffet at an earlier hour, rather than midnight! I have never understood why they have to be so late! Read more