CHECK IN:
We are a family of four (two parents and an 18 and 15 year old) that made our reservations directly through Royal Caribbean. We had great expectations for our Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas trip to Alaska. We are frequent cruisers and had a wonderful experience on a Splendor of the Seas cruise in Europe two years ago. Our first glimpse of the cruise experience was good: our check-in in Seattle was flawless. There were no lines, and the staff was friendly and helpful (our best cruise check-in experience yet).
We checked in around 12:30 and were onboard within minutes. We decided to have a quick bite from the Windjammer and then explore the ship, as our staterooms weren't quite ready yet. Our first alarm bells went up when we tried to find something to eat at the Windjammer buffet. Bad cafeteria came to mind, but we were sure this was just because the cruise hadn't quite started yet.