Dream cruise. Review on Royal Caribbean International Cruises

We booked on the Rhapsody of the Seas of the Royal Caribbean International -4 night Isles of SouthEast Asia Cruise. Sailing was in December 2007 and was ex Singapore.

Though we live in the island city of Mumbai, we have never taken a cruise, not because we did not want to, but because there were only overnight cruises available from Gateway of India and we were interested in a little longer cruise which would let us experience the sea. I say a little longer because being the first time, we were not sure if we would like it. But, we just loved it and are looking forward to a still longer cruise holiday. We had heard about good reviews of Star Cruises, but their sailing dates and ports of call did not match with our requirements. Hence, we decided to take the Royal Caribbean which was sailing for the first time in Asian waters.

The ship was like a floating five star hotel and the crew was very helpful and courteous. There were about 1500 passengers. We never felt any sea sickness, because unless we looked out of the balcony, we never realised we were at sea. The checking in was a breeze and we could chek in nearly 8 hours before sailing. This gave us ample time to look around the ship. On day 1 there was a guided tour to show us around the ship and there was also an emergency drill where we were guided about the safety procedure. There was a massive theatre where there were lively shows everyday. To ensure that there were enough seats for all, there were two shows- the early diners could take the later show and the late diners the earlier show. The dinner also had two timings and fixed seating. The buffet lunch in the windjammer cafe sometimes got a little overcrowded when there were shore excursions and all passengers returned at the same time.

When we left we were wondering if we would get bored, but we had a nice time and also relaxed. Our cabin was spacious and had a balcony with sea view. The rooms were always serviced and kept spick and span. The casino was very lively and a big temptation. Cruise Compass was posted in our room daily to let us know what were the programs on hourly basis. We travelled without the children, but families who had children had a lot of activity- a separate game area, indoor game room, karaoke etc. There were two pools-one indoor and one outdoor. Also, there were jacuzzis. If one did not want to go the restaurant, there were other meal options available. Room service was also there for those who did not wish to go anywhere. The gym was well equipped and had sessions of yoga too. There was a jogging track. Teenagers could meet up at the disco where there was lively  music. The library was a pleasant surprise. Deck chairs were plenty on all the decks and we could spend time lazing on the deck chairs with our books. The way the activities were organized was amazing. Maybe there are bigger cruise liners operating with much better facilities, but I am sure this review will be useful for first timers like us.