68 Hours in the Smallest Cabin on Royal Caribbean's (2nd) Oldest Ship (Won't Do it Again)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
- I take plenty of cruises and bring you details on the latest and greatest. But let's be honest, that's now how most people cruise. What about those older ships? Or those cabins that are far from fancy suites?
That's why I booked the smallest cabin I could find aboard one of the oldest ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet... to get the real scoop. A three-day cruise for a total of 68 hours onboard... and let's just say... well, you'll see.
For more on sailing Royal Caribbean:
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41 Must-Do Activities Aboard Royal Caribbean Ships
www.cruzely.co...
Worth It? Complete Guide to Royal Caribbean’s Drink Package
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#cruise #royalcaribbean
Great video I like your content a lot You speak very clearly Easy to understand you For the life of me I don't understand why you only have 77 000 Subscribers You deserve so many more
Appreciate it. Tell a friend!
I love it when somebody reviews older ships. Fine for me as long as they're clean. I don't need race tracks and roller coasters on a ship. There will be fewer families on older ships which is more relaxing when traveling as a couple😊
Thank you for a great review. We were on the Grandeur of the Seas last year which is older and smaller than the Rhapsody. We booked three additional cruises on the Grandeur while aboard. We don't care for the floating amusement park ships and enjoy our quiet time. However for families with younger children the newer and more costly ships are for them. Our cruise next month will be number 72 and I can honestly say my worse day at sea beats my best day at my work office!
Bill
Sailed last year on Grandeur of the seas. Same as Rhapsody. Loved it. Small and quiet. Loved to relax and enjoyed the simpler offerings.
Great review of Rhapsody. One major point you needed to mention is the difference in cost between a ship over twenty years old and a ship less than ten years old is significant; typically the price is double on a newer ship which can be over one thousand dollars for two people in an inside cabin on a six night cruise.
A thousand? More like closer to 2k with fees
Sailed on Grandeur last October with my wife for our 27th anniversary. It was our first cruise ever. Had a small interior room on the 3rd floor. We called it "the nest". 😀 It really was clean and comfortable. We had room service every morning for a wake-up with coffee and nibbles. The Windjammer had endless choices and all good. The Park Cafe in the Solarium was nice with the free "Sorrentos" pizza and other selections. We did the all-stairs challenge too. It was dated, but clean, and WE LOVED IT. We're both 50 years old and maybe it was just our age and the first time on a cruise. We couldn't underestimate our appreciation of seeing the sunrise or the breathtaking view of the turquoise water and just being pampered. No dishes or meals to fix. A room steward?!? Amazing! We were treated very well by all staff even after the disappointment of being re-routed away from Coco Cay and Nassau to Cozumel because of the weather.
Mirrors give the illusion of the space being larger. I had to laugh at that comment. Too Funny! On the smaller ships, the staff get to know you a bit better. Especially is you sail 5 days or more. Which is a great experience. I personally like the smaller cruise ships, but also like the larger ones for some of the shows like the Aqua Show. It boils down to being flexible. If you have no children, who needs the bells and whistles. You may change your mind when you get older. Small ships are about relaxing like you said. And taking time to unwind. Great video.
I’m glad I saw your post. This is exactly what I’m looking for. I’ve been cruising singe 1991. I couldn’t care less about rock climbing walks, 100 different places to eat, or whether the décor was from 2010, 1990 or 1960 for that matter. As long as it’s clean. Cruising for me is about leaving those kinds of worries behind. The big thing you left out of your post was how you don’t need reservations for most od what you do. I love the shows on the smaller ships. Go to dining, get up walk to the auditorium, sit down and watch the show. Reservation??? I don’t need no stinking reservation. Think about doing that on a today large ship. Finally, it’s got a real promenade deck, where you can sit outside and hear the water going by.
@dwill123 your excellent comment made this miserable review worth the time.
The one thing to keep in mind on the Large ship you'll always find a place by the pool on the lounge chairs with the smaller ships not so much there are not enough lounge chairs at the pool. Case in point, I was on wonder of the seas, I always had no matter what time of day allow chair by the pool, you would think that it would be too many people, and that it would be congested, but nothing was further from the truth
I am so much right there with you. I love the older and smaller ships.
Very excellent points! Well said! 😊
I've only been on the small RC ships and I love them. Never wait in line, don't have to pre register for events, chairside drink service on the pool deck is a 10!!!. Always clean and drama free.
I’m just grateful for any cruise I get to go on❤️❤️
We love the older ships!!
Couldn't care less about the big fat monster ships where you have to book food, entertainment and whatever so far ahead.
We will be on another b2b in just a few weeks, 3 weeks incl. a Transatlantic on an old RCL ship.
Can't wait!
Just got off 12 days sailing the Southern Caribbean on Vision out of Baltimore last week. Sailed out of Baltimore with six days at sea and absolutely loved the experience on the top rated ship in the fleet. I will definitely be back. This review just seemed to go out its way to be negative.
Rhapsody holds a special place to me since it was my very first cruise in 2004. I will be on her in November sailing to the Southern Caribbean out of San Juan. this cruise has 5 port stops and 1 sea day. the vision class is more about the ports of call than the actual ship. i wouldn't let the ship stop me from a cruise i wanted to take.. full disclosure, i am not a fan of the Oasis class. Freedom class is my favorite size ship in the RC fleet.
Rhapsody was also my first cruise ship also. It was amazing!
Thanks Tanner! Interesting how older and newer ships meet the needs of all ages. Certainly diverse. I’m not interested in race tracks, water slides etc so an older ship is not a no go for us. I do agree that if it is a bit run down it’s a downer. I don’t mind inside cabins either…been in range of different cabins and if it’s a new route I want a cabin with window/balcony but if it’s a route I’ve gone…give us an inside and all is fine! Happy Cruising! 😊
It should be a great first impression at least you know it’s clean 😊
Looks wonderful to me! I like peace and quiet. If i can have a beautiful place to sit for a long read, I'm good
You should try a spirit class ship from Carnival. It's my favorite class of ship. And for me and my wife, the best cruise experience.
So glad you made this video! I’ll be sailing on Rhapsody in a few months! Our cruise is loaded with Ports of Calls, so when we get back on the ship we can use those days to rest by the pool since there’s not much entertainment. 😊
Sailed last year on Enchantment. Very similar to Rhapsody except for the lack of specialty dining. The MDR, Windjammer, cafe latte tudes and Solarium cafe were all available in addition to the room service.
Didn't mind the decor, but missed the additional choices the larger ships offer in addition to the newer interactive technology.
Are they different experiences, certainly but different doesn't mean bad. And while I'll also enjoy the larger ships more often like Freedom and Anthem, I won't discount the cheaper option.
Great post! It made me realize that for years I would sail whatever ship had the lowest priced balcony which put me on a lot of older ships. Ships that were nice but maybe a little outdated and showing some wear and tear. A few years ago I decided to take an inaugural season cruise…My first time on a brand new ship. Now I cannot go back! 😅😅
Last year I've made a Disney Magic 3 days/4 nights, and even the ship it's dated from 1997 still much better than those things captured in this video. Crazy! Disney Cruise line proves that's possible to keep a old ship in a good shape!
The mirrors are to try and fool your eye, giving you the illusion of more space. Thanks so much for the informative video!
We are going on the sister to this ship, the Vision, for 9 days. It was supposed to leave out of Baltimore, but... I think that will change now due to current events. We are happy to be on this little ship for 9 days. Our itinerary is the northeast in October. The cabin looks similar to our last cruise.
I LOVE the Rhapsody! Older smaller ships are great IMO. I often cruise alone and find the smaller ships offer opportunities to meet and interact with other passengers and crew. I prefer the small old ships to the new behemoths loaded with stuff I have no interest in doing.
My first cruise was on Raphsody. 9 night Vanuatu New Caledonia. Probably the reason why I didn't do another cruise for 10 years.
I've stated every kind of cabin but I'm usually not in there anyway so it doesn't matter but one thing I have to have is a window looking out on the ocean so I know when we stop and go and end up.
Surprising I like the older ships..more low key and relaxing..I am more about where the ship is going..going to be on the ccl miracle for 3rd time next summer looking forward to it..also like mariner if the seas which is smaller for rcl. The bigger ships with tons of people are overwhelming to me
I love that class of ship! These new mega ships are nothing but floating amusement parks to me. If I wanted that I would go to an amusement park for vacation. BTW when that class of ship was new, it was considered large! Shame you never got to experience the Carnival Tropicana or the NCL Crown. 😂
The major cruise lines need new smaller ships.
NCL, Royal, Carnival
Since you are willing to drop a bundle on the new RCCL ships, wky not try some of the smaller ships like Windstar which is all-suite AND visit six ports on an7 day Caribbean cruise?
In general, I have found the RCCL included food to be underwhelming. They have the philosophy like NCL that if we cheap out on the included, they will head over to the specialty restaurants.
I am a Loyal to the Royal that class to small I love the Freedom class just right Oasis class to big , Icon a was a overload
Interesting to see the Rhasody again - I cruised on it the early 2000s, and it looks like the decor in the public areas has been updated quite a bit. Not sure about the Egyptian solarium - I don't remember seeing that when I was on her, but I may have missed it 😂
It was a fun cruise back then, but I don't think I'd chose to do another cruise on that ship again.
Mum and my Aunt were on that cruise liner many years ago.
The ton of mirrors in the room has a purpose…….mirrors make a small space look much bigger giving the room a bigger feel
throwing you a like just for not saying 'THE Bellagio'
You talking about Bellagio in The Las Vegas?
@@Cruzelycom one in the same. I have no idea why that annoys me like it does.
I find the old girl rather fetching. She has a classic look inside and out, and is great size too.
I don't think I heard what you paid for that 68 hour cruise. I guess you don't stay in hotels that are older too.
as for the mirrors. they LOVE to use mirrors because they make a small space look much larger.
also. one of the advatages i could see on the size. MUCH smaller lines. i HATE waiting in a line. and with fewer people board/disembarking and all that nonsense. i would assume is much less waiting!
My man... taking one for the team 😂
Everyone cruises for different reasons. I don’t need the bells and whistles that come with the new ships. It’s nice but I don’t use any of them. I love the itinerary that comes with these smaller older ships. And the crews on these older ships often are friendlier and more willing to go out of the way to help you. It comes down to, doing your research before booking a cruise. Find out what the ship has to offer.
Wow!
Is that carpet on the walls? I honestly don’t care what that cruise cost, it’s a no for me.
Cabin looks like a room in Luxor or Excalibur or Circus circus....yikes
Hated our cruise on Grandeur was too small, not enough shows and buffet was boring and repetitive
Yeah, similar vibe here.
A poor slob or cheap skate would never now the difference in a heap small cabin.
I would never sail on a ship less than 1,000 ft, it s not safe. We could barely felt the wave on Sky Princess in East Caribbean.
I would avoid western Caribbean.
I miss ships like Ecstasy and Majesty of the Seas. Those ships had such a distinct vibe to them. Almost like a classic ocean liner look and feel to it. These new ships being so big and boisterous don’t have that feeling. New ships feel like floating hotels. Ultra modern, no character, bland architecture. These older ships feel like ships, they’ve got distinct themes, and have more eye catching things.
Tampa here. I happen to like the older ships myself. Yes they are smaller and older, however, you can venture around and see everything twice or more, and not get lost. Cabins are smaller also, but the price is within budget. Ships in all the fleets are just getting too BIG !! Its obvious, the bigger the ship, the more pax they pack on and the profit is greater. Thanks for your video.
Did an 18-day trans-Atlantic/trans-Med cruise on Rhapsody, and it was great. Specialty dining was very good, both food and ambience. This is not a weekend party ship, but a home for substantial cruises.
Man.. we’re looking at sailing Rhapsody out of San Juan next Jan. The itinerary looks amazing, all the Virgin Islands back to back. Super cheap too. Looking forward to it.
Seems perfect. You’ll want to stay away from Holland America then, which I prefer. Don’t want a Disneyboat.
I was on Rhapsody I liked that ship
We’ve sailed on the Oasis Class ships and we’ve sailed on the Vision Class ships like Rhapsody. Your pluses and minuses of the smaller Royal Caribbean ships closely mirrors our experience.
We love all that is available on the larger ships. Nevertheless, we would never reject a cruise on any of the smaller ships. The crew tends to be friendlier and we become almost like friends by the end of the cruise. So, saving our nickels and dimes, we book a Grand Suite. Although also dated, they are still very nice and significantly raise our onboard experience.
I have taken a 9-night Greek Islands cruise on Rhapsody of the Seas. It was a port intensive cruise so I did not spend much time on the ship itself. It was clean and had all I needed when I was not exploring the ports of call. As my father said when I was a kid, "all hotel rooms are identical after you fall asleep." I would surely prefer to sail on Icon of the Seas if the prices were the same, but since they are not...
I cruised on the Rhapsody of the Seas back in the late 1990s. There was only 1 specialty dining that I remember and a couole of other eateries besides the MDR and Horizons. I think this one had 50s type diner. On our 7 day, I did a few treatments on the spa, did karaoke, lots of line dancing and everyday a couple of aerobics class, the gym was great, loved the live music, enjoyed all the bars, ate a lot of bay shrimp salad on croissant, enjoyed the midnight chocolate buffet, was a judge on the men's sexy legs contest, loved escaping on the library, enjoyed the shopping deals, loved the 2 formal nights, and definitely canoodled every night. There's also the stars sparkling, as we laid on the lounges at the promenade deck and made out. And we loved our fay in Labadee, and had the best BBQ ribs. Soooo...we definitely found lots to do. I ate and drank as lot but still lost 8 lbs. 🎉
Wanted to add, I love the wood and brass on the older ships, just like the older boats and yachts my friends have. The newer ones look like Vegas hotels. (I like those, too.)
We just got back from a 10 day southern on Grandeur. Had an interior cabin. My wife had to sit at the foot of the bed and schooch her way up. They shoved a chair between the closet and the bathroom. You DID NOT have the smallest cabin...trust me!
Same here wife had to struggle to get on her side of bed very small interior rooms
You and your wife’s sleeping arrangement is none of my business but you might try having the attendant split and separate the bed into half’s, creating two singles. By pushing the two halves to the opposite walls, this gives you more walking room in the middle making it a little easier to get in and out of bed. (for me that comes in handy when I’ve got to make a midnight run to the bath room.)
We thought about that exactly what we should have done is have them split the beds up so we'd have a walkway between the two beds
This was the ship I took my first cruise on 2024, and to be honest I have the best time ever, had an interior room, amazing staff amazing time. The stateroom doent matter I pretty much just showered changed cloths and slept. The food was amazing in the dining room. actually gained 5 lb on that cruise. Then again I was looking for rest and relaxation. Its the perfect ship for just shutting down not thinking not worrying.
7 Night Southern Caribbean from San Juan in August 2024
I'm sailing on Rhapsody, in Sept., out of San Juan, and couldn't be happier with the offerings. The itinerary I have been looking for, for years, which the big ships have not offered. Plus the lower passenger count, likely few young kids, is ideal. I don't cruiae to be on a floating amusement park. I cruise to relax and get away from the hustle and bustle. I'm sure Rhapsody will either get a dry dock soon, being that old, or be retired. Regardless, I will be getting the bang for my buck I want, without all the rude crowds. A win-win, anydat!
About to go to Iceland in solo cabin on Celebrity Silhouette it looks petite and efficient ----12 days!!!?????
Perspective from an older cruiser - I am in my 60's , I am not as fast as I once was , and do not go as far before needing a break. The smaller ships are just so much easier to navigate ! Not as far to walk , shorter lines and waits too. The main dining room options I always found to be satisfactory to excellent, and there is usually a spot or two to get something between main meals. So I don't really mind if there are no "premium" restaurants onboard. The smaller and older ships are usually a lot less expensive too, so if i choose to I can get a better cabin and still save some money over the biggest or newest ships. But do your research see what ships have what amenities ,and choose what's best for you and have a fantastic trip (:
I have cruised all kinds. I must say I prefer the smaller ships. First of all they feel like a ship and not like 6 flags. The smaller ships are more intimate and are less crowded. The monster shops have essentially taken cruising and the ocean out if cruising, they are designed to keep you inside and spending money. I totally hatted cruising on Oasis, the crowds and the lines were overwhelming. I love the older ships and the promenade decks.
I went on 2 cruises despite the negative reports the tips and advice is useful for furture trips
Thank for this view of Rhapsody! I’d take 8 nights on it to get to diamond 😅
Tanner,Great Video!!How long is the walk to Junkanoo beach from the cruise dock? Do they have lounge rentals? If so what is the fee? Finally do you feel it is safe for a solo traveler? Thanks!!
It's about 15 minutes from the cruise ship. There were rentals, but I didn't ask how much. There's kinda of a busy side and then a side with nothing going on (and some shade trees).
I didn't feel unsafe, but I'm also a guy and live in a city. But really, you're walking right by the port and Margaritaville. It's not like you're walking Skid Row.
I’m guessing this was Quite an affordable cruise, however…RCL usually does price these spartan cruises appropriately at least (unlike Disney who rips you off blind charging top prices for the 26 year old tiny WONDER and MAGIC! Not that I’m bitter…!)
I’m at Rhapsody of the Sea 10 years ago for 12 days to the South Pacific Island and I really loved
We're going on this older boat for my brother's 30th bday, we're making it about the stop and not the boat. 😅
Cruised Rhapsody again last fall for a 15 day transatlantic. We left Barcelona and visited Alicante, and Malaga, Spain, Lazarote and Tenerife in the Canary Islands and finally Freeport, Grand Bahama Island before Ft. Lauderdale. I agree the ship needs a refresh which it won’t get, but had a wonderful time. My only real complaint is Royal again cut the Windjammers hours! Was supposed to be Open till 4pm the first day and 3:30pm for the rest, cut to 3pm everyday. Last time on Rhapsody was open till 4-4:30pm everyday for late lunch, afternoon tea and snacks. I had a great Oceanview cabin on deck 4 with a huge window. The cabins closer to the bow and aft have smaller windows or even portholes.
Oh I wouldn't be able to do transatlantic here. Too many days days at sea.
Mr. Cool. Thanks for the warning.
We stayed on Vision of the Seas and had almost the same room you did (Deck 3). This reminded me of the good ole days of cruising. My wife and I had the most relaxing time on that small ship. And the staff was fabulous.