We are very pleased with Royal Caribbean for their overall value. For what you pay, you get a great vacation with food, entertainment, travel, service, and style. This is our seventh cruise on RCCL, and while we've seen changes over that time, each cruise has lived up to our expectations. Was it perfect? No, not quite, but we're not especially picky people. Go with the flow and enjoy your vacation instead of complaining all the time, that's our motto! The ship was in very good condition. The crew was constantly cleaning so we felt good about any health issues. At times there was maintenance being performed on the ship, too, but it seldom interrupted us.
There were plenty of activities offered so everyone had something to do if they wanted it. We opted for the martini tastings in the R Bar and the guacamole class in Sabor, the Mexican restaurant. Both were great fun. There is always something happening in the promenade which lends itself nicely to shows, events, and sales. When we wanted a drink, the R Bar always served up some tasty creations! Melvin and his staff work hard to please!
The Windjammer flowed very nicely this trip. It was never hectic and the crew worked hard to clear tables and keep the place neat. The variety of foods was welcome and was constantly changing from day to day. The main dining room (we had late seating which we prefer) offered many styles of dishes and excellent service. I was even glad to see the return of the "parade of nations" on two nights which had the serving staff singing and dancing. Hey, it's okay to have some fun once in a while! Many people want "My Time" dining but I really enjoy having the same server each night and getting to know them and my table mates during the cruise. I met some new friends this trip and had many laughs with them!
Our cabin was on the stern of the ship. It was spacious and clean. The balcony gave us a nice view of the wake behind the ship and was extra deep to allow two lounge chairs, two regular chairs and a small table. Yes, the superstructure impeded our view somewhat but you soon got used to it and didn't notice it. Would I have preferred it wasn't there? Certainly but it wasn't anything to get worked up about. The balcony is also under cover from above which was welcome when we were in port and it was hot. It also came in handy the couple of times we had rain. There was plenty of storage and the closet was huge although we could have used more hangers. We didn't have any problems with the plumbing like some folks did although the safe quit working at one point and we had to have a maintenance guy come fix it. The beds are okay but not up to hotel quality. I'd also like a little more water pressure in the shower but there was always plenty of hot water! But did I mention the view? Everything else is secondary when you walk in the room and immediately see the wake trailing off to the horizon. Beautiful!