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Unlock bucket-list-worthy shores and take memory-making to the next level — on Rhapsody of the Seas®.
We’re talking about wander-filled itineraries to some of the world’s most breathtaking sun-soaked destinations. Plus, non-stop onboard thrills like rock climbing 40 feet above deck. Catch Broadway-style shows and dazzling entertainment, night after night. And indulge in delicious cuisine guaranteed to please even the pickiest eater in your crew. Go all out on adventure and unforgettable moments onboard Rhapsody of the Seas®.
We just returned from a week on Rhapsody of the Seas, and while she is certainly one of Royal Caribbeans older ships, what she may lack in modern features she more than makes up for in heart. This ship has a lot to be proud of, and the crew, truly, made our cruise memorable. One of the highlights of my mornings was seeing the wonderful woman working the omelette station in the Windjammer. Her name was Azia (I hope I am spelling that correctly). She was an absolute sweetheart. By day three she already knew my order (egg white omelette with veggies, no cheese) and greeted me warmly every morning after my workout. On the last day, when I was finally not in gym clothes, she still recognized me, remembered my order, and gave me a hug goodbye. What cruise staff member gives you a hug goodbye? We also had the best waiter we have ever had on any cruise. Putu was exceptional. Our table was not the easiest because my son and his girlfriend have multiple allergies and special requests, and they tend to order quite a bit off the menu. But Putu was always patient, never irritated, and consistently attentive. He truly elevated our dining experience. Kudos to him for being so good. We did not particularly love the musical entertainment overall, but it was clear that every performer was working hard. The Flag Ceremony, however, was the best we have ever seen on a Royal Caribbean ship. It was beautiful, moving, and full of energy. Our room attendant, Ibraham, was excellent. He took care of every detail, and we really appreciated all the care he put into making our week comfortable and special. There were a few things that made me pause. Our Junior Suite had a motion sensor light near the bathroom. It is great in theory, but my husband gets up often at night, and the bright light woke me up every time. The outlets in the room were older, and some plugs would not stay in securely. At the coffee station each morning, the small carafes of half and half were always empty long before the Windjammer opened. Larger carafes or more frequent refills would help. This is picky stuff. Unfortunately, the Windjammer lunch was probably the weakest we have experienced on a Royal Caribbean ship. The food selection was very limited and not great in quality, although the burgers were better than on the larger ships. On the positive side, we enjoyed the hot tubs every morning, loved the pools, and never felt like the ship was overcrowded in any capacity. That is one of the best parts of a smaller ship; you truly connect with the staff and with other guests. Those relationships are what made this ship shine. Yes, Rhapsody is older. No, things are not perfect. But the people, the crew with so much heart, are what make this ship special. We had a wonderful week and would have gladly stayed onboard for another. Even the comedian was great, funny without being inappropriate. Overall, our experience was warm, memorable, and filled with personal touches. We are grateful to the entire crew of Rhapsody of the Seas for a lovely vacation.
We had some credit so chose to use it on this cruise. I have been on this class of ship before so knew what to expect. Interestingly, since this cruise was out of Puerto Rico, everything was done in English and Spanish. The cruise director handled it well. Shows were enjoyable. Our cabin (a nice window) was just fine. Room only gets cleaned once a day and we chose evening so we didn't have to worry about getting out early. The food is fine--good enough if not gourmet. The service was great--all the crew work extremely hard. Chef's Table and Choppes were outstanding. We weren't interested in the ports so that was fine. We still don't like being nickel and dimed for everything on RCI--they even charged a gratuity on the $2.50 popcorn at the theater. We are Diamond Plus so spent a lot of time in the Crown Lounge--eating the continental breakfast there most morning. Having the five free drinks was perfect for us. Trivia was always fun--not too many other activities for us that didn't charge. Gym was small but enough for my husband. We don't like the superships so enjoyed this size of ship.
Good cruise for the destination. Boarding wss fast. Service was good. Food was good. Rooms plenty of space and drawers. The buffet needs a make over of lay out of stations food display and distribution. They should add another pizza station. Near the buffet. And they should not be charging towels if you don't return them. Just the scamming process is fine to track it. Cleanliness was ok but they need more deep cleaning in public areas and touch paint threw out the hall way ,windows and dusting and all windows of the ship need to be more washed. Maintenence on the ship needs more up keep neart the solaruim pool, upper deck and near the life boats had rusts on the corridors. And light fixtures of the ship needs updating. For an older ship i like it different vibe and atmosphere. But needs more up keep of areas. Plenty of activities.
My wife and I were on the Rhapsody of the Seas from Sep 14-21. Stops included St Thomas, St Croix, St Maarten, St Lucia, & Barbados. We chose to booked excursions independently as the ship offered ones are just way too crowded. We have been on 4 cruises before, but all were on Carnival ships. We chose the Rhapsody because Carnival no longer sails from San Juan. These are merely my honest observations as we really are not brand loyal cruisers. We look at price and ports when picking cruises. To be perfectly honest, we had always heard how Royal was a step up in cruising from Carnival. That’s just did not turn out to be the case. We saw all the same things on Rhapsody as we had on Carnival cruises. We saw all classes of people (some good and some bad). For all the Royal snobs out there, it really isn’t that much better for the price. Sure, Carnival short “booze cruises” to the Bahamas are probably pretty bad, but we have never gone on those before. We stuck to longer more exotic places to visit and really did not see much difference in the products. Ship/Activities: Sure the Rhapsody was an older ship, but it was clean for the most part. It did not have all the bells and whistles like the newer mega ships, but we don’t want to cruise with 7,500 of our not so close friends. Plus, those ships could not get into the ports we are interested in. The shows were ok, very similar to what we had experienced before. Activities were about the same as well. The pool seemed a little larger but we don’t even try to get in it. Cruise ship pools are like people stew. Chairhogs had reserved chairs on our one sea day as well. It seemed like they do not do near as many photo stations as Carnival. At night there were 1-3 stations and that’s it. We had purchased a 10 photo package for half price and honestly we struggled to find 10 photos we really had to have. We like to get these semi-professional pictures taken as it is usually really a good deal. Trivia was usually held in the Schooner Bar. It was usually crowded with other people in there. It would have been better served to have trivia in the lounge not being used at the time. Most nighttime parties/games were held in the Centrum (main lobby). This was fine as you could see all the action from several different floors. On the pool deck they had 2 movies each night. We watched one, just so we could say we did. They were not very well attended, which was fine with us. One thing we did notice is the air conditioning inside the ship did not seem to work very well at all. A lot of the public areas were very warm. On Embarkation Day, the ship was very hot all over. It took a couple days before the common areas on board we a comfortable temp. The ship did manage to get to every port a little earlier than scheduled which meant we were able to get off earlier than the scheduled times. Overall, the ship never seemed very crowded. Rooms: Since it was a port intensive cruise, we opted for an ocean view room. Balconies were almost double the cost. The room was clean but appeared much smaller than what we encountered on Carnival. There was plenty of storage as the closet was large. Unfortunately, suitcases would not go under the bed, so we stored them in the closet. The AC finally started cooling the room down a couple days in. It just did not work very well at all. We were glad I packed a small (but powerful) usb powered fan. There were only 2 power outlets on the desk. They were very loose so we would stack stuff under and in between our usb outlets to keep them from falling out. Food/Drinks: This is a very subjective subject. We have always hated the 1.5-2 hourmain dining room meals. To us it is just a waste of time. We were content with eating in the Windjammer buffet every night. This allowed us to take showers after long port days, eat, and still have plenty of time for activities. We thought the food for the most part was very good in the Windjammer with a nice selection each night. While there was a theme each night, they always had the usual staples for picky eaters (hamburgers, hot dogs, mac cheese, etc). Everything was usually very hot too. The Solarium Café had pizza. If you got it when it came out hot, it was ok. If it had been sitting, it became rubbery. Really not that good. Prior to the cruise, I had purchased my wife the Coffee Select card for $30. It was a punch card with 15 punches. Small items were 1 punch. Medium/Large were 2 punches. She seemed to enjoy the coffee every morning. Bar drinks were usually very good. Everyday from 4-6pm, margaritas were $6. Plus, each day had a different drink special for $8.50. Other than that, drinks were usually in the $14+ range. Fyi.. kind of dumb in our opinion to put the ice cream machine out of the pool deck rather than in buffet. It melted super fast! Embarkation: We left/returned from Pier 4 in Old San Juan. While we thought this was going to be a plus, it definitely was a disaster waiting to happen. There really is not any parking for guest drop offs. Luckily, we stayed at the hotel across the street so we were able to just walk to the terminal. The entire terminal is not air conditioned. Even though the terminal had large fans, it was very hot in the there under the San Juan sun. Nothing was marked very well either. Embarkation did go smooth for us though. Line was not very long and we were on board in no time, albeit a little sweaty. Debarkation: This was by far the easiest debarkation we have ever done. We decided to try self-assist debarkation. Since our stateroom was on deck 3, we only had to go to deck for to leave. The announcement came around 7am, that self-assist guests could leave at any time. Our ride to the airport wasn’t until 8-8:30 so we waited until around 7:30 to debark. We expected some sort of line, but there just wasn’t any. We had passport in-hand but it wasn’t needed. We got a picture taken by a tablet on a stand and we were on our way. No questions asked!!! Fellow Cruisers: This one will ruffle feathers for sure. Royal followers always say Carnival is the Wal-Mart of the seas. I hate to break it to you but there were drunks, trashy people, rude kids, chairhogs, large people, small people, and normal people just like cruises we have been on with Carnival. There definitely was not a step up in “class”, at least on this ship. We make a decent living, and to be honest, we don’t usually care what others do as long as they do not directly bother us. We did happen to meet some very nice people both on and off the ship. However, people in the buffet seemed to have no order. No one seemed to want to wait in line for anything. They just butt in right in front of you if you let them. Lastly, we NEVER saw anyone tipping extra like we do. I know all the blowhards out there say they tip at the beginning or end, but we never saw any of it. We tipped all the servers and bartenders extra for each drink/coffee. We tipped our steward extra as well. All the extra tips were greatly appreciated by the crew. They all work so hard to make your trip memorable. We also left the auto gratuities on as well. We just prepaid them before the trip. Crew: All of the crew we encountered worked extremely hard. We never came across one rude or unhappy person. But then again, we do not walk around acting better than they are. We always smiled and said hello/thank you to everyone we encountered. Conclusion: While Rhapsody was an older ship, we thoroughly enjoyed our cruise. The islands/excursion were the main attraction for us. The crew were all wonderful. We have already scheduled another Royal cruise out of San Juan for 2026 so we would definitely not hesitate to use Royal again. The price has to be right and the ports interesting. I doubt we would ever book the megaships just to go to private Bahama Islands. Was it an elevated experience over our previous Carnival cruises? Not in the least, but we did enjoy ourselves
AWARD-WINNING & AWE INSPIRING ACCOMMODATIONS
Redefining the cruising experience one room at a time. Our staterooms are an alluring escape from the non-stop action our cruise ships are known for. From our spectacular views to our deluxe amenities, a stay with us is like nothing at sea.
DESIGNED TO MATCH YOUR COMFORT NEEDS
We’ve thought of the details, so you don’t have to.
BABY FRIENDLY: Bringing a baby? Let us know and we'll provide a crib and supplies.
COUPLES RETREAT: Enjoy spa-like comfort in your stateroom, perfect for couples.
EXTENDED FAMILIES: Select staterooms can connect to accommodate more guests.
SPECIAL NEEDS: Our ships are equipped to accommodate you regardless of your special needs.
READY FOR YOUR STAY
All the creature comforts you’d expect to have during your vacation.
VOOM SURF & STREAM: Giving a new meaning to connected staterooms.
24-HOUR ROOM SERVICE: Indulge your midnight cravings.
DAILY CLEANING SERVICE: Sweet dreams are on the horizon.
DAILY STATEROOM ATTENDANT: A helping hand when you need it the most.
PLATED PERFECTION
Dial up date night with an elegant and intimate epicurean adventure at Chef’s Table, or dig into the fleet-famous Kummelweck sandwich at Park Café. Whatever you’re in the mood for, you’ll find something delicious onboard to satisfy your cravings.
COAST THROUGH THE CARIBBEAN
Rhapsody of the Seas® is what vacation dreams are made of. Gather your travel squad for the ultimate tropical getaway across stunning Southern Caribbean islands including St. Lucia, Aruba, Barbados and more.
Discover new thrills onboard while sailing to shores like Croatia, Crete and Cozumel. Whether it’s grabbing hold of adventure at the top of the Rock Climbing Wall, or savouring hand-rolled sushi at Izumi. All while enjoying superior service and an intimate environment.
EXPLORE MORE BETWEEN SHORES
Sea days aboard Rhapsody of the Seas are as exciting as each day in port. Get ready for a world of new discoveries on deck — like world class dining, award-winning entertainment, electrifying nightlife and unforgettable activities for every kind of traveller.
ADVENTURE DRIVEN DAYS: Whether you’re on a romantic cruise with your partner or a family getaway, there’s no shortage of ways to keep the thrills going strong onboard, thanks to fan-favourite features like the rock climbing wall, an arcade filled with all your favourite games, and lots of space on the pool deck to lounge the day away.
ADVENTURE AFTER DARK: After a day spent exploring Caribbean islands or European capitals, there’s nothing like a night out on Rhapsody of the Seas. Head to the theatre for a showstopping original production, or raise a glass of your favourite vintage or cocktail at one of the many bars onboard.
BEST CRUISE ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS & TEENS
Loads of laughter and unforgettable experiences go hand-in-hand when cruising with your kids. Royal Caribbean’s games, events and cruise activities for kids are going on all over the ship throughout the day and into the evening hours, making family time a great time. And thanks to our award-winning Adventure Ocean® youth programme, children love their cruise holiday just as much as their parents.
OUR AWARD WINNING ADVENTURE YOUTH PROGRAM
With our Adventure Ocean® youth programs, not only will your children's time on board be fun, it will be educational too! Aquanauts (ages 3-5 years) will have fun conducting cool experiments and becoming Certified Jr. Adventure Scientists. Our specially designed Explorers program (ages 6-8 years) is packed with exciting cruise activities for kids, which includes themed parties. Voyagers (ages 9-12 years) will explore a range of activities that puts the "cool" back into learning.
FUN ISN'T JUST FOR ADULTS - TEENS & TWEENS PROGRAM
Whether hanging out with other cruisers or playing games, sports and parties are on your tween's agenda, our teen-only spots are the places to go. Our Teen program also allows older kids the freedom to come and go as they please. They'll love it so much, the only thing you might wish for is a little more time with your kids.
YOUTH FACILITIES & FACILITIES
Adventure Ocean youth facilities are designed to meet the needs of younger guests. Kids will have a blast at our complimentary, award-winning Adventure Ocean® Youth Program. We separate kids and teens into age groups so that they can enjoy specialised programs made to expand their imaginations, in interactive, multi-room spaces designed just for them. It’s an incredibly fun, totally edu-taining adventure.
