Wedding on Sovereign of the Sea (Nov. 2005)

[BrideRCCL]

We just come back from our wedding on Sovereign of the Sea (RCCL) cruise. We're so disappointed with service on the boat and the food is awful. The room is small and smell really bad. The shower is filty and the room attendance didn't make the bed everyday. When wecomplained about it, his excuse was his back is not feeling well. :mad:

 

Overall, We are very lucky to have 60 guest sailing with us. Since we're sailing with a group, we booked our cruise a year ago as a group, and asked travelocity to help us to sit together at dinner. 2 months ago, we discovered that we're not booking as a group and there will be no coctail party avaialble for our group. When I called RCCL, they said it's too late to book as a group because there are no group space available :mad: (and I booked a year in advance, I called in January and they told me that we're a group and last minute they said we're not). We found out that we're not sitting together on the day of sailing. After 1 hours working with the Matre'D, he was able to put half of the group on 4 deck and half on 3 deck. Some of our guest were not happy with the sitting arrangement. We have to run back and forth to make sure they're are happy.

 

Royal Romance service was really terrible... they didn't call to follow thru with us. We have to call to request for everything. The week before the wedding...they haven't call us to finalize the wedding.. two days before the wedding.. we called them to ask for the finalize contract. At first, We decided to have the wedding on the island but we changed to do on the boat 2 days before the wedding. RR told us then that the wedding will be in Voltage Lounge and no aisle runner, only chairs and 2 silk arrangements for the price of $1395. They told me a year ago that there will be some decoration and aisle runner if we do on the boat. We're glad to do on the ship because it's so much hassle to do on the island with 60 guests.

 

We did the buffet and the food was good. We added extra hour for bar service and we glad to do that because 1 hours is not enough. Everything is rush rush ...to take pictures and first dance and toast. The buffet was clean out in 1 hours which is too short but there is plenty of food on the boat. We make sure to have a list of drink of the whole group and handed to the 2 waited staffs half hours before the wedding so they can prepare the drink. There is no bar open, only 2 waited staffs for 60 guests. With the lists already prepare, as soon as the buffet starts, drinks are ready for everyone. This is a good ideas because with 60 peoples and all the mixed drink...that take a long time to prepare

 

The ship photographer did a good job on our pictures. He caught many beautiful Kodak moments...we ended up buy all the picutures and negatives. He did gave us extra photo album. We're glad to purchaset the package because we gave out the Pictures to all guests on the last night of the cruise. Everybody loves the idea to have their pictures with us to bring home. The photographer even gave us a lot of free postcard to stick the photo on with RCCL logo. He is really nice.

 

We had 60 guests flew in and everything was smooth. The Sunrise Shuttle company was wonderful...wait for all guests and make sure they arrived at the port on time. For the price of $12 per person/one way and wonderful service. :)

 

We brought with us aisle runner, silk flowers for the bride, maide of honors, 3 bridesmaids, groom, groommen, flowergirls, and all guests have boutounieres, silk flowers to decorate the cake. AC Moore did a good job on all of the silk flowers. :)

 

I'm glad we brought silk flower cake topper to decorate the cake... because the three tier cake looks awful...the cake taste good but there is no decoration and the cake looks really bad...we did the decoration ourselves

 

We're glad to bring our own CD that my sister put together because for $800...the DJ play really bad music... we coulnd't dance to it. I'm recommended you to bring your own music.

 

We have to ask the coordinator to turn the light on brighter in the Voltage lounge because it was really dark to take pictures.

 

The wedding was so emotional and turn out to be o.k but we have to do a lot of preparations. The RR didn't do anything...and the coordinator just show up 15 minutes before the wedding. The coordinators complimented us on how prepare and surprise that the wedding looks really good because we broughts the silk flowers, and decorations with us. They even ask our pictures to use for commercial purposes. The coordinators gave us the flower for the bride from the package.. but we didnt use it..because it looks really ugly. They said your flower look better...so don't use ours..:D

 

Overall, we have a good times...with friends and family, we didn't care about all the hassle and service...we love having a wedding on the cruise because of the days we spents together as a group.

 

I decided to write this because when I decided to have my wedding.. I didn't read any forum. I hope I didn't miss out anything.

 

I will post pictures.

[2007CarnivalBride]

Thank you so much for posting your review of the Soverign of the Seas. We were considering this ship as our 2nd choice in case we changed our minds from Carnival but have the review you gave about the staterooms, bathrooms, food and service you have just insured that we will stay with Carnival. :) I've been waiting for someone to post a review of the Soverign since it's major remodel/renovation so I could see if the smell issue had been taken care of but I guess not. Thank you again you have been a BIG help!!:D

[BrideRCCL]

I went to my friend wedding on the celebrity cruise 2 years ago and it was the best. Therefore I decided to have my wedding on the cruise. But RCCL wedding is not compare to the celebrity wedding cruise that I attended. They make my friend feel special, give them a free upgrade room, leave all kinds of congratulations note in the room, wait staff and room attendance constantly congratulate and asking about the wedding. The wedding planner meet with them and rehearsal before the wedding. The music was fantastic. The guests were happy because we sit together everynight. So..if you decided not to do your wedding RCCL..is a good idea.

[sas80]

I went to my friend wedding on the celebrity cruise 2 years ago and it was the best. Therefore I decided to have my wedding on the cruise. But RCCL wedding is not compare to the celebrity wedding cruise that I attended. They make my friend feel special, give them a free upgrade room, leave all kinds of congratulations note in the room, wait staff and room attendance constantly congratulate and asking about the wedding. The wedding planner meet with them and rehearsal before the wedding. The music was fantastic. The guests were happy because we sit together everynight. So..if you decided not to do your wedding RCCL..is a good idea.

 

Celebrity is now owned by RCCL so the weddings will not be the same as you remember. Royal Caribbean contracts their weddings through The Wedding Experience (aka Royal Romance), so I assume that, now, Celebrity does the same.

 

Complain!!! Complain to RCCL about the room and the cruise.

 

Complain to Royal Romance about the wedding and everything that SUCKED about it and be sure to CC Royal Caribbean on the email. I got a refund for some services because the level of professionalism was WAY less then it should have been.

 

It doesnt chang the overall outcome of the event but at least you can recoop some of your costs!

[newmexicoNita]

Celebrity is now owned by RCCL so the weddings will not be the same as you remember. Royal Caribbean contracts their weddings through The Wedding Experience (aka Royal Romance), so I assume that, now, Celebrity does the same.

 

Complain!!! Complain to RCCL about the room and the cruise.

 

Complain to Royal Romance about the wedding and everything that SUCKED about it and be sure to CC Royal Caribbean on the email. I got a refund for some services because the level of professionalism was WAY less then it should have been.

 

It doesnt chang the overall outcome of the event but at least you can recoop some of your costs!

Celebrity has been owned by RCI for way more than 2 years. Our granddaughter is getting married on Celebrity in 10 days. With a few exceptions so far everything has gone smoothly. Regardles of who owns them the lines are still very different. this would be like saying Hampton Inns and Hiltons are alike because they are both owned by Hilton. NMnita

[carrievision]

BrideRCCL, do you have a website or contact information for the shuttle transport that you used? I am getting married on SOS in March, but am doing the wedding with an outside vendor on the beach in Nassau. I think some people might need transport from the airport, but we're driving down from NC the weekend before.

 

Though I've never been on Celebrity or RCCL, I have to agree that they are not really in the same category. SOS is an inexpensive, short cruise. I kind of expect what I am paying for. Even within the same cruise line, the 4 day cruise we took on NCL Sea did not compare to the longer itineraries that we did on NCL. They save the beautiful ships for 7+ day itineraries it seems.

 

It sounds like in addition to complaints to RCCL and Royal Romance, you need to complain to Travelocity for screwing up your group booking! If possible try to find the manager of your contact with Travelocity, if you had one, and write to them. You brought them a lot of business and it is not fair that the bookings did not come through correctly for you.

[BrideRCCL]

The shuttle bus company is Sunrise Transportation. The website www.transportationflorida.com

 

The contact person is Helen. She will email to you right away for your quote and follow up with comfirmation.

 

Wow...you're planning to do your wedding on the beach of Naussau. That's really cool. We couldn't do it because there are 60 of us.

 

But the wedding in the boat is pretty nice.

[sas80]

Celebrity has been owned by RCI for way more than 2 years. Our granddaughter is getting married on Celebrity in 10 days. With a few exceptions so far everything has gone smoothly. Regardles of who owns them the lines are still very different. this would be like saying Hampton Inns and Hiltons are alike because they are both owned by Hilton. NMnita

 

They STILL contract through the same wedding company!!!

LOL, check your facts!

 

Celebrity contracts their weddings through a company known as "The Wedding Experience"

Royal Caribbean contracts all their weddings through "Royal Romance" which happens to be EXACTLY the same company as "The Wedding Experience".

 

http://www.theweddingexperience.com

 

for more information

 

Surprise!

[carrievision]

The shuttle bus company is Sunrise Transportation. The website www.transportationflorida.com

 

The contact person is Helen. She will email to you right away for your quote and follow up with comfirmation.

 

Wow...you're planning to do your wedding on the beach of Naussau. That's really cool. We couldn't do it because there are 60 of us.

 

But the wedding in the boat is pretty nice.

 

Thanks for the info! I don't think anyone has started buying flights yet (and about half our guests are driving to florida) but that is sooo much cheaper than the royal caribbean transport! (Which I think is $25 or $50 per person ? yikes)

[newmexicoNita]

They STILL contract through the same wedding company!!!

LOL, check your facts!

 

Celebrity contracts their weddings through a company known as "The Wedding Experience"

Royal Caribbean contracts all their weddings through "Royal Romance" which happens to be EXACTLY the same company as "The Wedding Experience".

 

http://www.theweddingexperience.com

 

for more information

 

Surprise!

I have no idea who they contract with, what I was referring to was your comment about the difference in a Celebrity wedding 2 years ago and now since the company has been purchased by RCI. My point, if you re-read my message: Celebrity was purchased by RCI several years ago, not recently. I also added, so far with a few little problems our granddaughters wedding plans have gone quite smoothly. I will add it is a very expensive way to get married, much more than her parents realized, but as long as everything goes smoothly next Saturday the cost is not the important part. NMnita

[sas80]

I have no idea who they contract with, what I was referring to was your comment about the difference in a Celebrity wedding 2 years ago and now since the company has been purchased by RCI. My point, if you re-read my message: Celebrity was purchased by RCI several years ago, not recently. I also added, so far with a few little problems our granddaughters wedding plans have gone quite smoothly. I will add it is a very expensive way to get married, much more than her parents realized, but as long as everything goes smoothly next Saturday the cost is not the important part. NMnita

 

agreed!

and, if I may add, another very important thing is that she is surrounded by those she loves and is marrying a devoted man.