Just When I Thought I Was Out...Liberty Review March 27, 2016

[mil76]

I have the compasses, but I wasn't going to bother to post them since someone posted them from the same Cruise two weeks before ours, and they were pretty much the same.

 

The teen compass was also posted, and the only difference in that was the Teen stand-up flowriding at 10 am on Roatan.

[Mickeygrl71]

Dining

This was our first time doing MTD, but they were offering the Specialty dining packages so we went for the 4 dinners for $85 package. We also had a free dinner from our travel agent, so we only did MTD twice.

MDR

We went to MTD the first night right at 5:30 when it opened, and the service was excellent. We tried to get the same table and waiters for the 2nd formal night, but our reservation was for 7:00pm and the place was bedlam. We waited about 20 minutes for the table to clear, but then gave up and said seat us anywhere. We got to our table and they informed us that they were out of prime rib, which the FW wanted since she doesn’t do lobster. So those of us who wanted lobster got our measly lobster tails, and the FW got some terrible piece of meat that they offered in place of the prime rib, so we decided to forgo the rest of the meal and headed for the Windjammer. It was interesting to go from MTD, which seemed like chaos, to the WJ, which was completely laid-back and quiet. I looked over and saw one family sitting in the Windjammer with a bottle of wine on the table having a nice quiet dinner. I always like the vibe the WJ has at night.

 

We did lunch in the MDR on every sea day. The items from the menu were pretty bad. I tried the steak sandwich one day, which was like a McRib sandwich without the BBQ sauce, and the beefburger another, which might as well have come out in an aluminum foil tray as a TV dinner. The salad bar was great, and they even had a sushi bar one of the days and a pasta bar another. In my mind the MDR is now just focusing on being the salad-based buffet at lunch, and they are making the menu so bad that nobody will even want anything from it.

 

As for the Specialties, we did Giovanni’s and Chops twice, and Sabor once. One slight annoyance was that they no longer put out the dinner reminders in your stateroom when you are booked for specialties. When you have multiple reservations it’s hard to keep track of them.

Giovanni’s

Giovanni’s on Liberty had a new menu since Oasis in October. The new menu was good, but they no longer offered items we liked, such as the scallops appetizer (which was my favorite dish offered anywhere on RCCL), crab ravioli and lasagna. When we asked what was going on the manager did get scallops for our second night there and they tried to prepare them Giovanni’s style, but it just wasn’t the same. Giovanni’s is our favorite on Oasis/Allure, but it just seems like something is missing in the converted Portofinos.

Chops

The whole Chops argument has been beaten to death, so to bottom line it from my perspective, it isn’t Morton’s or Ruth's Chris, and it’s not really worth $35 when you consider you already are paying for a meal as part of your cruise fare, but when you do it twice in a 4 meal package for $85, you can’t really complain. Everyone did 9 ounce filets both times, and they cooked it perfectly rare, just as I like it. Service was great, although you have to all but beg to get proper sides portions. Six people at a table and they bring out a small flat plate with a little bit of creamed corn splashed on it. C’mon…

Sabor

We did Sabor on Navigator and Oasis already, and we prefer the Navigator/Liberty more formal restaurant rather than the taqueria setup on Oasis. Not sure why they had to brand them both Sabor since the atmosphere is so different. As for the food, I thought it was great. They made me a separate spicy guacamole from the rest of the table, and I had the mole, which was excellent. The FW thought the food was too spicy, but the rest of our party enjoyed it. Needless to say, the FW won out in the end and that was the restaurant that got the single visit out of the five.

Johnny Rockets:

We tried to go there twice with no luck. We got back on the ship from Belize at about 1:00pm and wanted to have a burger, but they didn’t open until 2:00pm. On the last sea day we tried again, but because the outside decks were closed you had to enter through the arcade, and the back third of the arcade was jammed with people with the same intentions as us. With the teen club being closed at the time the rest of the arcade was jammed with kids, so that idea was short-lived.

Ben and Jerry’s

To give you an idea how crowded it was the last sea day, Ben and Jerry’s had a line out onto the Promenade, and they couldn’t keep up with demand for waffle cones so you had to wait as they could only make one at a time and wait for it to cool. I had never seen more than 2 people in Ben and Jerry’s on any other cruises, but it looked like a Dairy Queen on a summer evening after little league.

Dairy Queen on a summer eve after little league! Love it [emoji3]

 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

[kwbound]

The Bad, IMHO. Galveston. Whats up Texas, only 4 types of beer, no top shelf liqour or champagne on sail away.I wanted a Mudslide with Belvedere and was told no. OK how about a shot of Patron, sorry. Well just give us a glass of champagne, nope. Texas law requires only products made in Texas be offered until your 12 miles out to sea.

 

The liquor doesn't have to be made in Texas. It has to be purchased in Texas and state taxes paid on it. I'm not sure where most of the liquor on the ship is purchased if not in Texas. Maybe Cozumel?

[kwbound]

OP - Thanks for your review, and thanks to the other passengers who chimed in. We are sailing on the Liberty at the end of May and looking forward to it.

[Goodtime Cruizin]

The liquor doesn't have to be made in Texas. It has to be purchased in Texas and state taxes paid on it. I'm not sure where most of the liquor on the ship is purchased if not in Texas. Maybe Cozumel?

 

This is correct.

 

And if you plan to purchase liquor on board, make your purchase on Monday as RCCL will offer a one day 10% off all liquor purchases. This helps ease the pain of paying a $3.75 state sales tax for each 750ml bottle you carry through customs.

[Paul65]

This is correct.

 

And if you plan to purchase liquor on board, make your purchase on Monday as RCCL will offer a one day 10% off all liquor purchases. This helps ease the pain of paying a $3.75 state sales tax for each 750ml bottle you carry through customs.

 

There was no sales tax collected from us. Does that just apply to Texas residents? We had three 1L bottles, and they were declared on our customs form. (But we did take advantage of the first-day-at-sea 10% discount.)

[JaniceB]

Really enjoyed your review!

 

What company did the hotel recommend to take you to the port?

[mil76]

Really enjoyed your review!

 

What company did the hotel recommend to take you to the port?

 

I don't remember the name, or even if it had a name. It was basically a guy they knew (I think his name was Bob) that organized the rides. A whole bunch of cars showed up at 10am (as did "Bob") for all the guests that took them up on the offer. For the trip down to Galveston we ended up in a Houston-area minivan taxi. We paid her the flat fee and she didn't run the meter.

 

The crazy thing is that she took us down there, but she couldn't pick anyone up in Galveston so had to go back to Houston empty. As we got out of the taxi at the port someone walked up and asked her to take them to Houston and she had to turn them down. Same thing with our taxi from Galveston to Hobby. Since he was a Galveston taxi he had to drop us off and head back to Galveston empty.

 

Seemed so wasteful...

[mil76]

I am hoping that the Abyss and water slides on Harmony will draw people from stand up riding. On your sailing it sounds as though it didn't work. The best plan is to sail when there are less kids who will try it.

 

Best case scenario is people go up to the Flowrider, see the line, decide to do the Abyss instead, and it drops them off 10 decks away from the Flowriders, never to return!

 

We had one guy who would ask people to save his spot in line for the Flowrider while he would run off and do the waterslides. He wasn't too popular with some of the folks in line.

[A&L_Ont]

The crazy thing is that she took us down there, but she couldn't pick anyone up in Galveston so had to go back to Houston empty. As we got out of the taxi at the port someone walked up and asked her to take them to Houston and she had to turn them down. Same thing with our taxi from Galveston to Hobby. Since he was a Galveston taxi he had to drop us off and head back to Galveston empty.

 

Seemed so wasteful...

 

The same thing happens with taxis going from FLL to MIA. We were told by a driver that a FLL taxi can go to MIA but has to come back empty. If they are caught with a return guest there is high price to pay. I don't remeber if it was a fine, loss of ability to drive for the taxi company, or the loss of the actual taxi license or a combination of these items but the way the driver was talking it was rather serious.

 

Best case scenario is people go up to the Flowrider, see the line, decide to do the Abyss instead, and it drops them off 10 decks away from the Flowriders, never to return!

 

We had one guy who would ask people to save his spot in line for the Flowrider while he would run off and do the waterslides. He wasn't too popular with some of the folks in line.

 

 

Just like in a Christmas Story when Ralphie gets pushed down Santa's slide. :D As for the guy waiting in line and disappearing for the slides is not cool.:rolleyes: D bag move all the way around.:)

[JaniceB]

I don't remember the name, or even if it had a name. It was basically a guy they knew (I think his name was Bob) that organized the rides. A whole bunch of cars showed up at 10am (as did "Bob") for all the guests that took them up on the offer. For the trip down to Galveston we ended up in a Houston-area minivan taxi. We paid her the flat fee and she didn't run the meter.

 

The crazy thing is that she took us down there, but she couldn't pick anyone up in Galveston so had to go back to Houston empty. As we got out of the taxi at the port someone walked up and asked her to take them to Houston and she had to turn them down. Same thing with our taxi from Galveston to Hobby. Since he was a Galveston taxi he had to drop us off and head back to Galveston empty.

 

Seemed so wasteful...

 

Wasteful and probably makes the price of the trip cost more.

[wolfganghowell]

It's wasteful but the reality is that they have to buy a permit to pick up fares at the port. Similar to New Orleans - lots of cabs will take you to the airport but unless they have the permit, they can't pick up fares there. One driver told us it was really expensive.

[YadaYadaJodi]

This is correct.

 

And if you plan to purchase liquor on board, make your purchase on Monday as RCCL will offer a one day 10% off all liquor purchases. This helps ease the pain of paying a $3.75 state sales tax for each 750ml bottle you carry through customs.

 

There was no sales tax collected from us. Does that just apply to Texas residents? We had three 1L bottles, and they were declared on our customs form. (But we did take advantage of the first-day-at-sea 10% discount.)

 

It's a Texas tax but it doesn't just apply to Texas residents. Here is information on the limits and tax rates for "importing" alcohol and beer to Texas. When we cruised out of Galveston in Oct 2014 there was a lady asking as we were walking out of the terminal to the shuttle (already past customs/immigration) if we had purchased any alcohol. We said no and were allowed to keep walking. If we'd said yes, I believe there was a table set up to collect the taxes.

 

http://portofgalveston.com/index.aspx?nid=191

 

http://www.tabc.state.tx.us/poe/tax_rates.asp

[Paul65]

It's a Texas tax but it doesn't just apply to Texas residents. Here is information on the limits and tax rates for "importing" alcohol and beer to Texas. When we cruised out of Galveston in Oct 2014 there was a lady asking as we were walking out of the terminal to the shuttle (already past customs/immigration) if we had purchased any alcohol. We said no and were allowed to keep walking. If we'd said yes, I believe there was a table set up to collect the taxes.

 

http://portofgalveston.com/index.aspx?nid=191

 

http://www.tabc.state.tx.us/poe/tax_rates.asp

 

Interesting. We didn't encounter anyone asking us about it. If we had, we'd have probably paid it, because we're too honest to have said "no" as I walked out with 3L of alcohol in my backpack...

[Aggiecruiser01]

Thanks for the review. One question and my apologies if it seems unreasonable: If you still have your Compasses, would you mind posting them? We're going on our first RC cruise in June and we'd like to know what to expect onboard (we've been in Disney 4 times and Carnival twice so we aren't new to cruising). Again, I apologize if it's an unreasonable request.

 

http://www.robinsons1874.com/Liberty/

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2329004

[QToval]

http://www.robinsons1874.com/Liberty/

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2329004

 

 

 

Thank you x 1,000,000