My Big, Fat Liberty of the Seas Review ... 12/10-12/17/17

[jewopaho]

Hey Gang ... it's been a while since I've posted, but we're cruising again, so here goes ...

 

If a great cruise is a home run ... this one was a bloop single. We're longtime RC cruisers, and have come to live with the downward adjustments over the years. But we do expect that the cruise line meet (if not exceed) whatever diminished standards are established. The sailing wasn't a total disappointment, but was hardly the best that Royal can offer. To wit ...

 

EMBARKATION: We were informed that the ship would not be arriving in Galveston on time due to maintenance and weather issues. Such isn't unexpected, as fog occasionally delays things there. Our instructions were not to be at the port until at least 3:30 p.m. We were dropped off around 4:00 and immediately faced a situation reminiscent of Black Friday at Walmart ... looked as if everyone had gotten there simultaneously. The terminal crew was totally overwhelmed, and we still don't know how we ever managed to enter. Once inside, though, all went smoothly, thanks to our "preferred" boarding status.The other embarkation lines resembled those at Disney World. Once aboard, we were advised that our staterooms wouldn't be ready before 6:30. So there we were, all thousands of us, packing the public venues to overflowing. The Windjammer was open for lunch, but there was no place to sit. The Diamond Lounge and neighboring bars felt like the NYC subway during rush hour. Not until 7:15 were we able to access our accommodations, only to discover that the shower sprayed water all over, the fridge wasn't working, and the TV reception looked like a New England Nor'easter.

 

 

THE SHIP AND CREW: All good. Our steward, Lincoln, was marvelous ... arranged for the repairs, and seemed to know what we wanted before we did. Liberty underwent a makeover a couple of years back, and is in tremendous shape. Every staff member we came across was courteous, personable and very efficient.

 

 

FOOD/DINING: A while ago (perhaps six or seven years), we noticed a substantial drop-off in food quality and selections ... and so did many other passengers. Since that time, things have been improving incrementally, to where we are now served far more acceptable cuisine. We opted for My Time Dining, since we enjoy meeting our fellow cruisers, and are not tied down to a specific mealtime. However, except for one dinner, we were seated at a table for two, despite expressing our preference. We can understand one, perhaps two, such sittings ... but six out of seven? Perhaps the larger tables were filled by families taking advantage of the "kids sail free" promotion (by the way, most were very well behaved ... a pleasant surprise). Irrespective of seating arrangements, the dining room staff was attentive and very pleasant.There are two places along the Promenade to grab a sandwich, sweet treat, coffee, etc. Sorrento's has an Italian theme and some unusual selections. As for the pizza ... Papa John has nothing to worry about.

 

ENTERTAINMENT: Comedians Kivi Rogers and Scott Record were far better than those we normally see ... hardly any references to cabin size, gluttony or other rancid cruise jokes. A duo whose name escapes me performed contortions that were both remarkable and painful to view. Donovan and Rebecca, of America's Got Talent fame, combined voice and acrobatics, along with videos of stunts they didn't perform onboard ( huh??). They were a bit over-dramatic, and would have been just as entertaining if the act were half as long. The production number, Air, was a disjointed combination of aerobatics, dance and voice ... lots of talent, no continuity ... tough to follow. The Broadway presentation aboard Liberty is Saturday Night Fever. Acting was high-school level at best, while the dance number finale was exceptional. The ice show was, as always, not to be missed. There are two performances, and seating can be a bit contentious ... get there early. And go to the "art auctions," but just for enjoyment. By the time you pay the buyer's premium and shipping, you could likely purchase an identical work for less locally or on eBay. In all fairness, I had a not-so-pleasant experience with Park West Galleries (the outfit that runs the auctions), so I'm somewhat biased.

 

PORTS: Our stop at Grand Cayman was cancelled due to weather conditions, but we're hardly the ones to review any of them, having been to them at least a dozen times. The ship doesn't dock at the downtown area of Cozumel (taxi required), but virtually every shop is represented at the terminal. Speaking of which, bargain hunting in the Caribbean is highly overrated ... there's a reason why most of the high-profile merchants are located exclusively in cruise ports. If you're seeking a $5000 diamond ring for $2000, I've got this oceanfront property in Kansas (just off the coast of Nebraska) for sale. Those port and shopping guides on the ship are essentially commissioned salespeople … not cruise line employees, but independent contractors ... the more you buy at those "recommended" shops, the more they make. Take a peek at www.portshopping.com… it’s where most of these folks are trained.

 

DISEMBARKATION: Getting aboard was bad enough. Leaving the ship, we had to walk the entire circumference of the open Deck Four, in chilly, drizzly conditions. None of the people near us were pleased, either. There's got to be a better way.

 

We have five additional cruises booked with Royal Caribbean. Two are past final payment date, but we may well re-think the other three. Not a terrible cruise overall, but nowhere near as good an experience as Royal can provide.

Edited December 28, 2017 by jewopaho

[Clarea]

Thanks for the report/review.

 

Did they say if they fixed whatever maintenance had delayed the ship's arrival?

[easyboy]

Too bad your experience did not at least meet the standards of previous ones. Hope your next 2 will meet your expectation. Thanks for the feedback.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[jewopaho]

Thanks for the report/review.

 

Did they say if they fixed whatever maintenance had delayed the ship's arrival?

The previous week's cruise was a "special itinerary"/scheduled maintenance trip to the Bahamas (3 nights in Nassau), where RCI's facilities are located ... apparently combined so that they could take care of the ship without taking it out of service. It took a bit longer than expected, and a local storm delayed Liberty's return to Galveston by about seven hours.

[Keith1010]

Thank you for your review/report.

 

Keith

[srlucado]

Thanks for the report/review.

 

Did they say if they fixed whatever maintenance had delayed the ship's arrival?

 

I was on the prior week's cruise (two days in Nassau), and there were cascading delays. We were late leaving Galveston on 12/3 due to fog, and the ship never made up the time. The maintenance (something about the azipods) was completed, and then the ship faced strong headwinds on the way back to Galveston.

 

In a way, it's surprising the ship wasn't later when it docked in Galveston on the 10th.

[Clarea]

I was on the prior week's cruise (two days in Nassau), and there were cascading delays. We were late leaving Galveston on 12/3 due to fog, and the ship never made up the time. The maintenance (something about the azipods) was completed, and then the ship faced strong headwinds on the way back to Galveston.

 

In a way, it's surprising the ship wasn't later when it docked in Galveston on the 10th.

Thanks for the update. Still curious if the azipod issue was fixed, or if it was a temporary workaround and we're looking at an upcoming dry dock for a longer lasting repair.

[Cruisin Together]

Can you tell me what night was the Saturday Night Fever performance? I have to make dinner reservations and my husband does not want to miss that show.

 

Thanks

[jewopaho]

Can you tell me what night was the Saturday Night Fever performance? I have to make dinner reservations and my husband does not want to miss that show.

 

Thanks

It's on the final night of the cruise ... coincidentally, Saturday night. There are 6:00 and 8:00 performances, if I remember correctly.

[Cruisin Together]

Thank you