We were impressed with the embarkation process in Oslo but a little alarmed when one of our suitcases didn't arrive. After several hours trying to find out what happened, we were told that it was being held by security. As another reviewer mentioned, a phone call or message from the steward would have been nice. We were told the message service on the phone system was not working that day (and many other days by the sound of it). The problem items in our suitcase included a bottle opener that Cunard had given us (OK for them but not Royal Caribbean apparently) and a pocket knife with a blade about a third of the size of the steak knives used in the dining room. What a fuss and waste of time as we were sent on a wild goose chase around the ship and then no security officer around for the people waiting. Not a great start to our first (and most likely last) cruise with Royal Caribbean.

We ate supper in the Aquarius Dining Room and our waiters (especially Clifford) were quite good. Forget about eating in the dining room for other meals though as service is terrible. Staff are hard to find and are quick to direct you to buffet tables for many menu items and never offer a refill on coffee. So that means you have to head to the buffet. Find a table first or you will be wandering around while your food gets cold. And be prepared for the extremely bad manners and gross behavior of some of the other 'guests' at the buffet. One man ahead of me in line at breakfast practically crawled under the sneeze guard to help himself to a dish. Gross. After getting his head and shoulders all the way under the guard he grabbed the dish and dumped most of it on his plate (dude, I think that was a garnish). Needless to say, I went to another section of the buffet to get my meal. We found the public areas of the ship to be very pleasant and bright but got confused getting around occasionally. Entertainment was generally OK except for the last night when it was absolutely terrible. The Entertainment Director and his staff were great - better than some of the headliners! Please do yourself a favor and don't ever bring that unicycle rider back! Our inside cabin was pretty shabby and the decor is definitely dated. Storage was a bit of an issue.

We booked this cruise because of the ports and we really enjoyed them all, especially Paris, Liverpool and Edinburgh. We were upset with ship staff that insisted there was no alternative but their shuttles and tours from the pier in Dublin and Edinburgh. Always a lie and an expensive one as well! The ship is built for fair weather cruising and we felt a lot of motion even when the seas were slight. Read more