I PLANNED THIS CRUISE WITH MY FAMILY LAST YEAR AND THE MAJORITY VOTED ON GOING ON ROYAL CARRIBEAN. MY GRANDKIDS AGES 10,13,14 HAD NEVER BEEN ON A CRUISE SO THEY WERE VERY EXCITED. THE LAST 3 MONTHS BEFORE THE CRUISE I SHOPPED FOR THEIR CRUISE ATTIRE, THEY EVEN HAD FANCY DRESSES FOR THE ELEGANT NIGHT. WE ALL WAS SO EXCITED JUST TO BE DISAPPOINTED IN HOW THIS TRIP TURNED OUT. THE MORNING OF THE 25TH WE LOADED UP AND HEADED TO PORT CANAVERAL, I THINK WE ARRIVED AROUND 2PM. WE DECIDED TO PULL UP AND UNLOAD AND THEN PARK. WE PULLED UP UNLOADED, I COUNTED THE BAGS AND MY SISTER COUNTED THE BAGS THEY WERE ALL THERE. WE DROVE INTO GARAGE AND PARKED AND I MYSELF WENT INTO THE TRUNK TO DOUBLECHECK TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS TAKENT OUT AND IT WAS. WE PROCEDED TO GET ON THE SHIP. ME AND THE REST OF MY FAMILIES ARE PAST CRUISERS SO WE KNOW IT TAKES A FEW HOURS FOR LUGGAGE TO ARRIVE AT THE CABINS. WE MET UP WITH THE REST OF THE FAMILY (14 OF US) ATE AND JUST WALKED AROUND. WE WENT TO OUR ROOMS AROUND 5, MY SISTER SAW OUR LUGGAGE SITTING DOWN THE HALL SO SHE TOLD THE STEWARD WHICH ONES WAS OURS. MY DAUGHTER CALLED OUR ROOM AND SAID DO YOU ALL HAVE YOUR LUGGAGE AND WE SAID YES WE JUST GOT IT. I TOLD HER IT MAY TAKE SOME TIME. SHE WENT TO THE SERVICE DESK AND WAS TOLD THEY GUARANTEE LUGGAGE WITHING 90 MINUTES OF BOARDING BUT SOMETIMES THE TAGS COME OFF OR SOMEONE PICKS UP THE WRONG BAG. SO WE DECIDED TO GIVE IT MORE TIME. WHEN SHE WENT BACK TO HER ROOM HER AND HER OLDEST DAUGHTERS LUGGAGE WAS THERE, BUT NOTHING FOR THE TWO YOUNGEST ONES.
WE ALL WENT TO DINNER AND WHEN MY DAUGHTER WENT BACK TO THE ROOM AROUND 8:00 STILL NO BAGS, SHE AND I WENT TO THE SERVICE DESK AND THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF LUGGAGE BEHIND THE COUNTER, WE WERE ASKED IF ANY OF IT WAS OURS AND IT WAS NOT. WE TOLD THEM WE HAD TWO BAGS STILL MISSING. EVERYONE ELSE IN THE FAMILY GROUP HAD THEIRS. THEY ASKED ME TO DESCRIBE THE LUGGAGE AND I DID, WE WERE TOLD THEY KNOW FOR SURE THE LUGGAGE WAS ON THE BOAT AND LATER THAT NIGHT THE CREW WOULD SWEEP THE 9TH FLOOR FOR ANY LUGGAGE THAT MAY STILL BE IN THE HALLWAYS. WE ASKED THEM AT THAT TIME CAN THEY MAKE SOME TYPE OF ANNOUNCEMENT FOR GUESTS TO PLEASE CHECK THEIR CABINS FOR LUGGAGE THAT THEY MAY HAVE PICKED UP BY MISTAKE.WE WERE TOLD NO THEY COULD NOT DO THAT BUT THEY WILL PUT NOTES ON DOORS ASKING FOR GUESTS TO CHECK. WHAT ELSE COULD WE DO. WE TRIED TO ENJOY OURSELF ANYWAY, WE ASKED THE STAFF DID THEY HAVE EXTRA TOOTHBRUSHES SINCE THE GIFT SHOP DIDNT HAVE ANY. THEY GAVE THE KIDS A LITTLE PACKAGE WITH TOOTHBRUSH, TOOTHPASTE, LOTION, AND SHAMPOO.
WE WOKE UP FEELING POSITIVE ONLY TO FIND STILL NO LUGGAGE AND NO NOTES WERE SENT TO THE GUESTS, MY DAUGHTER AT THIS TIME HAD GOTTEN REALLY STRESSED OVER THIS AND TO ADD TO THAT THE TOOTHBRUSHES THEY WERE GIVEN MUST HAVE BEEN OLD BECAUSE WHILE THEY WERE BRUSHING THEIR TEETH THE BRISTLES STARTED FALLING AWAY FROM THE TOOTHBRUSH SO I WENT BACK TO THE DESK WITH HER, MY DAUGHTER WAS ON THE 9TH FLOOR AND RECEIVED NO NOTE, WE ASKED ABOUT THE NOTES AND WAS TOLD OH THEY WILL GO OUT LATER, WE SAID YOU TOLD US LAST NIGHT THE NOTES WOULD GO OUT. I AGAIN EXPLAINED THEY DONT HAVE ANYTHING, TODAY IS A SEA DAY AND THEY STILL HAVE ON THE SAME CLOTHES AND UNDERGARMENTS. ALL THEY KEPT SAYING IS THEY HAVE A PROTOCOL THEY HAVE TO GO BY. I AGAIN EXPLAINED TO THE LADY THEY DONT HAVE ANYTHING AND SHE SAID DONT YELL AT ME, I SAID CAN YOU GO GET SOMEONE ELSE FOR US TO SPEAK TO, SHE WENT AND GOT SOMEONE ELSE WE EXPLAINED THE WHOLE STORY AGAIN AND HE SAID WE HAVE A PROTOCAL WE HAVE TO FOLLOW, I ASKED WHAT IS THE PROTOCAL, HE SAID WE WILL SEND OUT THE NOTE TO THE GUESTS ON THE 9TH FLOOR AND TONIGHT WE WILL HAVE THE STAFF CHECK ALL THE EMPTY ROOMS. THAT MAKES ABSOLUTLY NO SENSE TO ME BUT AGAIN WHAT CAN WE DO. MY DAUGHTER STARTED CRYING AND I SAID TO THE MAN, CAN THEY HAVE SOME MORE TOOTH BRUSHES AND THE 13 IS ON HER PERIOD ALL HER SANITARY STUFF WAS IN HER BAG, SHE HAD ALREADY USED WHAT SHE HAD IN HER PURSE. THIS MAN CAME BACK WITH 1 PAD AND 1 TAMPON. I SAID SIR ARE YOU SERIOUS SHE WILL NEED MORE THAN ONE, AND HE CAME BACK WITH 2 PADS. AND THEN TOLD ME I MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND SOMETHING IN THE GIFT SHOP, I SAID THEY DONT SELL UNDERWEAR IN THE GIFT SHOP, ARE YOU CRAZY! HE SAID I DONT KNOW IF THEY DO, I SAID THEY DONT. AT THIS POINT I WAS LIVID I SAID WELL CAN YOU AT LEAST HAVE LAUNDRY WASH THE CLOTHES THEY WORE ON THE BOAT, HE SAID IT WILL TAKE 24 HOURS. I SAID 24 HOURS TO WASH TWO OUTFITS, IN THE MORNING WE WILL BE GETTING OFF THE BOAT, I WENT BACK TO MY CABIN AND WASHED THE UNDERWEAR AND HAD TO DRY THEM WITH A BLOW DRYER. HE SAID THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO, MY DAUGHTER ASKED DOES THE SHIP HAVE CAMERAS AND WE WERE TOLD THIS SHIP WAS NOT ONE OF THE BEST SO THEY ARE NOT THAT ADVANCED. I SAID WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT? I AGAIN SAID THEY DONT HAVE CLEAN UNDERWEAR, THE YOUNGEST HAD ON HER OLDER SISTER SHORTS AND SHIRT THAT WAS OF COURSE TOOO BIG. I AGAIN ASKED IF YOU DONT FIND THE LUGGAGE WHAT CAN WE DO, HE JUST SAID WE WILL FIND IT.
WE SENT TO BED ANOTHER NIGHT HOPEFUL THAT IN THE MORNING THE LUGGAGE WILL SHOW UP.
OF COURSE THE NEXT MORNING NOTHING, WE WENT TO DESK EARLY BEFORE GETTING OFF AND WAS TOLD AGAIN TO LOOK AT THE LUGGAGE BEHIND THE COUNTER TO SEE IF ANY OF THAT WAS OURS IT WAS NOT. I SAID WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP, THE GUY SAID HOUSEKEEPING WILL LOOK IN CLOSETS AND UNDER BEDS WHEN THEY CLEAN THE ROOMS. WE GOT OFF THE BOAT AND HAD TO GO DIRECTLY TO SHOP FOR CLOTHES AND SHOES AND UNDERGARMENTS. WE WERE SO DISCOURAGED WE DIDNT EVEN STAY OFF THE BOAT LONG. THIS WAS MORE MONEY WE HAD TO SPEND RATHER THAN BUYING SOUVENIERS. WE GOT BACK ON THE BOAT AND WENT STRAIGHT TO THE DESK. THEY HAD ALREADY ASKED ME WHAT THE LUGGAGE LOOKS LIKE, I TOLD THEM AND THEY ASKED DID I HAVE A PICTURE AND I SAID WHY WOULD I. I SAID IT IS DRESS UP NIGHT AND THEY HAVE NOTHING FORMAL TO WEAR, MY DAUGHTER JUST WALKED AWAY FROM THE COUNTER, THE GUY WENT TO THE BACK AND GOT TWO ADULT SIZE ROYAL CARRIBEAN SHIRTS AND GAVE THEM TO ME AND SAID THEY COULD WEAR THIS, I WAS INSULTED. I SAID FIRST OF ALL THESE ARE ADULT SHIRTS AND THIS CERTAINLY DOESNT REPLACE WHAT THEY HAD TO WEAR FOR THE ELEGANT NIGHT. THEY AGAIN SAY THEY ARE JUST FOLLOWING PROTOCAL. MY SISTER GOT A FEW SAFTY PENS AND RIGGED UP SOME OUTFITS FROM THEIR MOMS EXTRA CLOTHES. AFTER DINNER WE WENT BACK TO DESK AND ASKED WHAT OTHER ACTION CAN WE TAKE BECAUSE NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE AND WE ARE OUT OF A LOT OF MONEY BECAUSE OF THEIR CARELESSNESS. THEY THEN GAVE MY DAUGHTER A CLAIM FORM AND TOLD HER TO FILL IT OUT. I FILLED IT OUT SINCE I AM THE ONE THAT BOUGHT THE LUGGAGE AND THE CLOTHES. THEY HAD SHOES, CHARGERS, ONE HAS ECZEMA SO EXPENSIVE CREAM WAS IN ONE OF THE BAGS, ONE HAD THEIR PHONE IN THE BAG. AT LEAST 9 OUTFITS BECAUSE I BOUGHT THEM OUTFITS TO WEAR TO DINNER AS WELL.THE GUY PULLS ME TO THE SIDE AND SAID DID YOU CHECK YOUR CLOSET? I SAID WHAT! WHY WOULD IT BE IN MY CLOSET I AM ON ANOTHER FLOOR, HE SAID MAYBE THE STAFF PUT THE BAGS IN THE CLOSET. I SAID THAT DOESNT MAKE ANY SENSE BUT I WILL GO CHECK THEIR CLOSET AND UNDER THE BED AND GO TO MY FLOOR AND CHECK MY CABIN. I CAME BACK AND I SAID THERE IS NOTHING THERE AND HE SAID WE JUST HAVE TO ASK, HE THEN SAID DID YOU RENT A CAR OR DRIVE YOUR OWN? I SAID WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES THAT MAKE, HE THEN PROCEEDED TO GET ME TO TRY TO RETRACE MY STEPS WHEN I DROPPED THE LUGGAGE OFF. I TOLD HIM I HAVE DROPPED OFF LUGGAGE BEFORE AND BOTH MY SISTER AND I COUNTED THE LUGGAGE AND IT ALL WAS THERE. HE THEN SAID THEY CALLED THE PIER AND NO LUGGAGE WAS LEFT BEHIND. AT THIS POINT I SAID I PREPAID MY GRATUITIES AND I WANT THEM PUT BACK ON MY CARD. SHE SAID ALL OF IT, I SAID I PREPAID FOR BOTH ROOMS. AND I JUST WANT MY $320 BACK FOR THEIR ROOM FOR OUR INCONVIENCE. SHE SAID OK, I SAID DO I NEED TO FILL OUT ANYTHING? SHE SAID NO I WILL TAKE CARE OF IT, YOU WILL SEE IT BACK ON YOUR CREDIT CARD WITHIN 10 DAYS.
I DIDNT GO BACK UP THERE, MY DAUGHTER SAID THEY TOLD HER WHEN SHE GOT HOME TO FILE THE CLAIM, SHE SAID SHE DID IT AND HAS NEVER HEARD ANYTHING. ONE OF THE STAFF I SPOKE TO TOLD ME THEY HAVE NEVER LOST ANY LUGGAGE SO THEY ARE NOT SURE HOW TO HANDLE, WE LOOKED IT UP ONLINE AND THEY CERTAINLY HAVE LOST LUGGAGE EVEN A FEW GUESTS WHO OVERHEARD SAID THEY HAVE LOST LUGGAGE BEFORE, EVEN THE LAST NIGHT WE STILL SAW UNCLAIMED LUGGAGE SITTING BEHIND THE COUNTER. I WILL NEVER CRUISE WITH THEM AGAIN, THEY ACTED LIKE WE WERE JUST TRYING TO GET OVER ON THEM. WE ARE TAKING ABOUT CHILDRENS CLOTHES. I HAVE WAITED THE TEN DAYS AND CALLED TODAY AND TOLD $80 IS BEING PROCESSED FOR A REFUND. I EXPLAINED TO THE LADY I REQUESTED $320 AND IT IS ALREADY 10 DAYS, SHE SAID I WILL NEED TO CALL MY TRAVEL AGENT. FOR MY INCONVIENCE I NOW WANT ALL OF MY GRATUTIES, IF YOU CANT GET THEM FOR ME I WILL CALL MY CREDIT CARD COMPANY AND GET IT BACK. THIS WAS THE WORST TRIP EVER, THEY KEPT CALLING MY DAUGHTERS ROOM ASKING DID YOU FIND YOUR LUGGAGE? IT WAS JUST FRUSTRATING BY FAR, I AM STILL IRRIATED BY IT,, THEY MADE LITTLE TO NO ATTEMPT TO SOLVE THE ISSUE. I DONT THINK THEY KNOW WHAT THEIR PROTOCAL IS. AND I WILL NEVER CRUISE WITH THEM AGAIN, AND YOU GOT THE STAFF DOWNRATING THEIR OWN SHIP. WE COULDNT ENJOY OURSELVES KNOWING SOMEONE HAD THAT LUGGAGE AND MONEY WE SAVED TO SPEND ON GIFTS FOR THE FAMILY WHO COULDNT COME WE GOTTA BUY CLOTHES AND SHOES. WAS TOLD I WOULD BE REIMBURSED MY GRATUTIES BACK AND STILL WAITING

Our original plan on this cruise was to stop at 3 different ports in Alaska. We went on a one way inside passage RC Alaskan cruise 3 years ago on Radiance of the Seas with land tour and had an amazing experience overall. This one was very subpar and disappointing. We were notified 2-3 weeks before our departure that we had to switch ports from Skagway to Icy Straits due to "unforeseen circumstances and sudden damage to the dock in Skagway". Well after doing my research and talking to to many locals at Icy Strait Point and in Hoonah, Royal Caribbean knew there was a problem with dock since the beginning of this year and had no intention of stopping in Skagway because dock wasn't being close to getting repaired at the time of our departure. So that is one lie we learned of. They refunded our excursions for Skagway which was disappointing. Secondly, when they switched the port to Icy Strait, they listed the excursion options only 10-15 days before our departure. We signed up for an Ocean Raft excursion for the group of 9 us since my wife and I did it 3 years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it and wanted our friends to enjoy it. Unfortunately, our excursion got cancelled the day before we were supposed to do it while we were on the ship again due to "unforeseen circumstance and mechanical problems with the boat". However, the day we arrived to Icy Point Strait, we saw a group of people leave on the raft at the same time slot we were supposed to the excursion. I went to the Kayak Center to find out why we were cancelled and the excursion was still going on. They told me that the Ocean Raft was already booked for months by a group from the Disney Cruise that was also docked there the same day. So in essence, what happened was that Royal Caribbean lied to us and scammed us in thinking these excursions were available, when, in fact, they knew all along these excursions they offered weren't available because they had to switch ports at the very last minute and everything was booked by another cruise line and left to little to no options for any excursions for passengers at Royal Caribbean. What makes this so bad, is that they waited until we were all on board the ship until they cancelled these excursions. What a scam on their part and very disappointed for a company that strives on customer service. I expected better from this cruise line. Also, the food in main dining for dinners were very subpar disappointing.

First, this is our first Royal Caribbean cruise after doing 8 Disney Cruises. We were pleasantly surprised and impressed.

The Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas was nice. We had a good time. Our servers were great
(Donat and Gracy), the food was awesome, and the adult pool/solarium was so peaceful. The adult pool was salt water and it was nice and cool so you could cool off but not be cold. The pool was busy but there was plenty of room. The casino was not intrusive at all, which I liked a lot. You didn't even have to go near the casino if you didn't want to.

It is worth paying a little bit extra to have a room with a porthole. It was nice to see out to the ocean and the ports instead of being stuck in a completely interior cabin.

If you choose a room with a porthole or a balcony, bring an eye mask because the curtains do not block out the sun.

Our excursion on Curacao was so fun! "Historic City, Shopping, and Beach" was the excursion we chose and it was great! It's a really pretty and very cool city. We got at least 2 and a half hours on the beach with was perfect!

CocoCay, their private island, was super nice! Try to be one of the first 100 people off the ship in order to get the best spot with chairs and umbrellas. Even if you don't, though, there were a lot of chairs and umbrellas.

I highly recommend buying the soda package. They have the nice machines where there are a hundred sodas and waters. It was important to us because it's easy to get dehydrated. They had Powerade and vitamin water to keep you hydrated.

Now to the cons:

1) Absolutely do NOT stay in room #2614. It is right above the gangway and every morning at 4:30AM without fail, there was loud slamming and banging that woke us up. It was horrible. I wore ear plugs but they didn't mask the sound because whatever was being slammed would shake your whole body.

It was also very confusing to get to the room: you could not get from forward on the ship to aft on the ship. You had to go to deck 5, walk all the way across the ship, get on the aft elevators, and THEN go down to your room. Perplexing.

2) The beds in this room were legitimately like sleeping on poured concrete (which I have done). I had bruises on my hip and shoulder from sleeping on my side because the bed was so hard.

3) If you choose to do an Aruba excursion, Eagle Beach and Highlights is NOT the one to choose. The description is incredibly misleading. It was supposed to be "lighthouse and beach with shopping if time allows" but instead it was "ride around in the bus for 3 hours, shop, and go to the beach if time allows." We spent 3 and a half hours riding on the bus and got about 40 minutes on the beach. After driving around for hours being able to see the beach, it was infuriating not to be able to get on the beach.

4) There is not much access to food outside of meal times. It seems like you would be able to get a burger or hot dog whenever you want but that is not the case.

5) All the bars and restaurants cost extra. Literally everything costs extra. If you're not sure if it's included, assume that it's not included. There is only one place on the ship where you can get food outside of meal times and it's at the Promenade Cafe on deck 5. They only serve pizza and a couple small sandwiches.

6) Most of the crew do not speak English very well. Disney Cruise Line puts the people who speak the best English in the roles where they have to talk to people i.e. Guest services but not Royal Caribbean. Most of the crew have no idea what is going on nor where anything is located. This was particularly frustrating.

7) Plan to spend a lot of time at guest services because you will be randomly charged for things several times a day. Incredibly frustrating to see our drinks get charged twice or even three times.
Pay close attention to your account on the app or you will get a big bill at the end of the cruise.

8) The private island always has 2 cruise ships at the same time. This is annoying because it's not as if they have double the space for double the ships.

9) There are not very many things to do on the ship. The shows are at either 9:15PM, which was right in the middle of dinner, or at 11:15PM. There is nothing to do in that gap in time except go to a bar or go to the casino. My wife and I do not drink and we do not gamble so most of the time we just went back to the room and went to sleep. (This is either a pro or a con depending on what you want to do. If you just want to do nothing, it's great. You won't feel like you're missing out on anything but if you like to do things like trivia or watch a movie, you will be out of luck.) Disney Cruise Line is at one extreme where there is something fun to do every minute of the day and Royal Caribbean is at the other extreme where there is nothing to do. There should be a happy medium in there but not on Disney nor Royal Caribbean.

10) If you are not a drinker, be prepared. This is not a big deal to most people and it was not a big deal to us but the amount of bars is absolutely insane. There is literally a bar every 25 feet everywhere on the ship. The drinking by guests was pretty extreme too. People who had paid for the unlimited drinks package (a big majority of adults had bought this package) pretty much had to be drinking every minute of the day to get their money's worth. It was like being back in college where people just get blackout drunk all the time. I went to a "party school" so there was a ton of drinking but on the cruise it was twice as bad. Insane amounts of alcohol being consumed at every hour of every day.

11) If you cruise with Royal Caribbean, be aware of the number of "sea days" when you book because there isn't much to do besides sit around and drink.

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