Rhapsody of the Seas Review
7 NIGHT GREEK ISLES CRUISE Good Itinerary; Clean Enough Older Ship; Acceptable Food
Rating by category
Additional details
This was the Rhapsody's first since the pandemic began. I was told the staff were almost all new not only to this ship, but to Royal Caribbean and cruise employment generally. I was also told the ship had staffing issues in regard to numbers (like most any hotel or restaurant you've visited recently).
I chose this cruise based on itinerary and time of year. I was happy this ship was on the "smaller" size.
Embarkation at Civitavecchia was mostly smooth even though I arrived at 12:00 - often the worst time. I used a pre-booked private transfer from my hotel in Rome so I was delivered right to the ship's terminal in one hour, but traffic was minimal. As usual not everyone followed signage which slowed people who already had their luggage tagged, but that's not on Royal. Luggage was already at my cabin door when I checked after lunch.
Cabin Review
Ocean View
Although the cabin decor is dated it was clean. I did notice an "old smell", but my lavender spray helped combat that issue. The window added enough light and when drawn the shades kept all the light out. The cabin size was adequate and included a loveseat-sized sofa and a built in desk/dresser combo with several large drawers and some upright deep shelves. The outlets located above the desk portion. There was additional storage behind side mirrors. The bed was just okay and I did not like the pillows at all. There were 2 nightstands with drawers, but no electric. The closet was also adequate in size and able to accommodate 4 medium check-in suitcases stored on the floor and all the life preservers provided. The shower was on the small side, but everything worked. There is a bit of shelving and a bit of countertop in addition to a single bowl sink. For those who watch television you will find the TV small and best viewed from the bed. Not an issue for me.