Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas

Pros: Polite restaurant and stateroom staff.
Cons: Too much hidden expense and undependable excursion service.

My husband and I went on our first cruise Nov. 16th on the Rhapsody of the Seas. Although the experience on-board was quite enjoyable, they really messed up with our shore excursion in Cozamel, our last stop. It was to be the highlight of our vacation going on the BOND Undersea Snorkel Adventure. We waited on the pier in the hot sun for an hour only to find out that the excursion had been cancelled that morning without any notice. When we complained to the excursion desk, we received no explanation and no apology. Our money was refunded. Also you'd better have plenty of spending money for many activities on the ship. What you pay up front for the cruise is only a fraction of what your bill will be when you disembark!

Pros: Wonderful ship, crew and experience.
Cons: Vacation was too short.

For my first time on a cruise, I could not have had a better experience. From embarkation to debarkation, it was a great trip. The ships crew was everything I had hoped they would be. I enjoyed the size of the ship. We had plenty of room anywhere we went. The food was good, not awesome. There were plenty of activities for most of the time. The cabins are small, but I felt they were fine for my husband and myself. We did not spend much time there. I had read several reviews about children being a problem on cruises, but we had no problem with them. The children really have their own agenda. Although we did not take our children on this cruise, I would not have a problem with taking them next time.

Pros: Fantastic food, great service, wonderful crew, and clean ship.
Cons: Galveston dock is crowded and disorganized.

This was our first cruise. I tend to research things to death, and found excellent reviews for the Rhapsody. The ship is simply breathtaking. It is beautifully clean, well kept and constantly being washed and painted. The staff could not have been better, and we became great friends with our serving staff. I was concerned about sea-sickness, as I am plagued with a nervous stomach, but I never had a moment of discomfort, and never took any medicine for the problem. The first thing we learned was not to try to go to every event... there are just too many. Pick the presentations and shows that appeal to you, and leave lots of time for relaxation. The nightly shows, by the way, are fantastic. Do not miss the midnight buffet, and do not ask crew members what time it starts... they will laugh. We had a wonderful time, and have already booked a return cruise for next year. With regard to the CON rating on Galveston dock, I should say the RCCL check-in process was painless and efficient. Park elsewhere and take a cab to the dock. Overall, a wonderful experience and great cruise ship.

Pros: Boarding was easy and quick.
Lot's of food
Cons:  
Old moldy ship
bad bad bad food

Let's see, where do I start?  My husband got stomach flu -- which he caught on board.  The ship is O L D and MOLDY!!!!!  The food is terrible and tasteLESS!  The desserts seemed to be made of some type of "goop" that was colored with food color and shaped differently each night.  The eggs, bacon, sausage tasted NOTHING like any breakfast food I'd ever tasted.  The departure off the ship at the ports was CHAOTIC.  I completely disliked having to eat at pre-arranged times -- and with pre-arranged partners.  I wanted to eat alone with my husband.  The nightclub was empty, the casino was empty -- NO FUN AT ALL.  Oh...let's talk about the ENTERTAINMENT, if you can call it that.  The movie was displayed on a screen that was so grainy that I was unable to see the characters clearly.