slightly disappointing

we have just returned from a 16 night cruise around the Med. Firstly having cruised a few times including on Celebrity, Cunard and other cruise ships we had high expectations for the Royal Caribbean. Sadly this was not what we found. We couldn’t fault the staff, the cleanliness, the organisation especially ‘My Time Dining’ which ran like clock work and the food we had. However the drinks package offered including free days if purchased on boarding was abused by many passengers. First time on a cruise we have experienced people drunk and in the day time. One drink after another all the time not what we expect on our cruises.

Secondly dress code or lack of it. People in shorts and vests in the evening, again something we are not used to most people on previous cruises have made an effort in the evening. On formal nights not many dressed up and people in the dining rooms with open necked shirts. Surely part of the cruising experience is the ‘dressing up’

There also seemed to be no ‘Adult areas’ apart from the small pool area. In the evenings children were everywhere. Babies in the dining room at 9 o’ clock, babies in the second show in the theatre and running around the bars at 10 o’ clock at night. I appreciate parents are on holiday too but surely some respect for other passengers. There was a lovely bar on deck 14 with music and dancing and often for the more ‘mature passengers’ not even appropriate for children but parents seem to enjoy seeing their children running around.

Food was good and well presented but limited choice. The menu in the restaurant was quite repetitive many of the same meals every evening. Perhaps we have been spoilt by the other cruise lines.

We thoroughly enjoyed the ports of call and had a very relaxing time with excellent weather and calm seas. The negative points didn’t spoil our cruise but perhaps this was our first and last one with Royal Caribbean.