Overall Score

BERLITZ'S RATING
	Possible	Achieved
Ship	500	428
Accommodation	200	166
Food	400	242
Service	400	302
Entertainment	100	81
Cruise	400	292

How this score is created

This striking all-white ship (sister to Vision of the Seas) shares design features that make many (but not all) of the Royal Caribbean International ships identifiable, including a Viking Crown Lounge and a terrific multi-level nightspot (the music can be loud and overbearing, however).

The Viking Crown Lounge (which is also the ship’s disco) aboard this sister ship is positioned just aft of the center of the ship, above the central atrium lobby. The funnel is well aft – a departure from all other RCI ships to date – which positions the Viking Crown lounge around the funnel or at its base. The ship’s stern is beautifully rounded.

There is a reasonable amount of open-air walking space, although this tends to become cluttered with sunloungers. There’s also a wide range of interesting public rooms, lounges and bars, and the interiors have been cleverly designed to avoid congestion and aid passenger flow into revenue areas. Speaking of which, for those who enjoy gambling, the astrologically-themed casino is large and rather glitzy (although not as bold as aboard some of the company’s other ships), again typical of most of the new large ships; a couple of pieces of “electrostatic” art in globe form provide fascinating relief.

The atrium lobby is the ship’s interior focal point (this is always a good place to arrange to meet anyone), and this one has a large kinetic sculpture, called Diadem. It is a multi-material construction that spans six decks, and features an astrological theme, as do many of the decorative elements throughout the ship. The interior decor throughout is imaginative, and provides a connection between sea and stars.

There is, predictably, a large shopping area, although the merchandise is consistently tacky. The artwork throughout the ship is really upbeat and colorful, and has a musical theme: classical, jazz, popular and rock ’n’ roll. Much improved over previous new ships in the fleet is the theater, with more entrances and fewer bottlenecks; there are still pillars obstructing sightlines from many seats. Also improved are the facilities for children and teens.

Ship enthusiasts will like the chair fabric in the Shall We Dance lounge, with its large aft-facing windows, and the glass case-enclosed mechanical sculptures. What, in particular, makes this ship feel warm and cozy are the use of fine, light wood surfaces throughout its public rooms, as well as the large array of potted plants everywhere.

Berlitz Guide © Apa Publications 2008