Crowded?  Kid-friendly?

• On occasion, and with a couple surprises, the ship seemed more crowded than average
  • Morning coffee lines at Starbucks
  • The Main Dining Room (MDR) appeared near-capacity.  Our request to move from an unsupervised table of children was accommodated  (adults sat next to, but provided no oversight for, the group of 10 children, aged 6-16)
• The Shows we attended _____.  Our tendency to arrive 15-20 minutes early allowed us to find very good seats, without exception.
• Voyager Class Ships (Voyager, Explorer, Adventure, Navigator and Mariner) have plenty of activities and more venues than Radiance and Vision Class Ships (but fewer than Oasis class and larger vessels.
• From swimming pools to the FlowRider Surf Simulator, climbing wall and ice skating rink, there were plenty of options.  Many families and groups of teens enjoyed the variety.

Entertainment (June 2025) - revise for Explorer

• Every ship has something for everyone.  The Adventure of the Seas offered Production Shows (Invitation to Dance), Orchestral music, and an Ice Spectacular

• Crazy Quest is presented on the penultimate night of most RC cruises.  We’ve seen a couple of these over the years.  Even though we had seen an almost exact replication on this ship a few months earlier, it was still quite funny.  (You will have several warnings and adequate time to excuse yourself if you are sensitive to bawdy/blue jokes, or don’t care to see other people’s underwear thrown about.)
• NFL - we traveled during football season and there are options for catching some live games.  Some games are shown in bars, poolside and in your stateroom.
• Music - several musical venues feature solos, duos and small groups.  One of our favorites was a piano bar singer who took requests in the Schooner Bar.  Schedules change frequently, so you can’t show up in the same place each night and expect the same performer.
• Miscellaneous - game shows, Silent parties, Name that Tune, Belly Flop competitions, Karaoke, dance classes, onboard movies (poolside), and more.

Dining (also, see Tips) - June 2025

• We enjoyed the Main Dining Room (MDR) for most dinners, scheduling the 5:00 seating (in advance).  The food was high quality, sufficiently varied for a few nights, and usually (90%) the correct temperature.  Towards the end of the 6 nights, we grabbed dinner at the Windjammer (WJ), after the crowds dispersed.  The WJ serves food till 9pm, but I’d arrive no later than 8:30 so you don’t feel like you’re getting leftovers.
• In the MDR, we enjoyed ordering the cheese dessert plate - as an appetizer.
• Drink orders are a little slow in the MDR.  Patience is in order…or, bring your own.  The price is the same, or free if you have casino drink privileges.
• We enjoyed one specialty dining option - Chops Grille.  We’ve had excellent service and tasty meals here - a few times.  
  • Pro-Tip:  Lunches at specialty restaurants are only available at select restaurants, but you can save big by opting for lunch vs. dinner.  Reserve in advance of your cruise to obtain 20-30% reduced prices; we’ve been paying $20-$23 each (+18% gratuity included), although I have not determined why the prices vary by ship.
• With dinner as our main meal, we varied breakfast and lunch times to mostly avoid the busiest rush.
  • It’s not hard to run into the WJ, grab a bowl of oatmeal and return to your cabin for a quiet morning meal.
• Check your Ship App for up-to-date venue hours; breakfast or lunch times vary between port and sea days.

Port Highlights - January 2025

Port Highlights -