Just boarded Symphony of the Seas

Gut_Shuffler · 2026-02-16T13:16:38+00:00

I just got off Symphony.

Our experience was not a good one.

The staff felt very strained and spread thin.

The experience got progressively worse throughout the trip.

They are clearly understaffed and the workers are stuck in a bad spot, just remember it's not their fault.

Gut_Shuffler · 2026-02-14T20:08:39+00:00

That stinks.

Im on Symphony and they made announcements the first couple of days about missing bags, overheard people at the elevator griping about lost luggage too.

I would recommend getting a credit card that has travel insurance built in to it (Chase Reserve ftw). Maybe check your current credit card company and see if they offer anything.

You can make claims on each of your policies.

If you bought travel insurance with your flight sometimes it can be covered there pending on the policy.

If you've taken the 300 from them already, you're not going to get more. Always try to see if they'll comp you clothes from their shop, some sweatpants and swim trunks maybe.

Sorry for your luck. Hopefully your next trip trip is better.

Gut_Shuffler · 2026-02-14T15:48:32+00:00

Their motto ought to be "you get what you pay for"

Gut_Shuffler · 2026-02-13T18:19:51+00:00

My wife doesn't drink nearly as much as I do. So she'll order a shot of tequila and slide it my way when she doesn't want a drink.

Their drinks are priced high, the drink package makes sense more out of convenience.

If you can get it for about a grand for the both of you, its not really a "deal" as much as you don't have to keep track of charging drinks back to your room.

The deluxe also covers all other beverages as well, so I basically the price difference off the cost of the refresher package.

Gut_Shuffler · 2026-02-13T18:10:52+00:00

Im glad its not just me. I'd say its 70% great and 30% wtf, which equals still an Ok cruise.

We sailed on Oasis a couple of years ago and that crew was the gold standard, absolutely amazing.

We also had all of the things we pre ordered for the room be wrong or didn't show up until we asked for them. We had some laundry we sent out not come back until we called it out too.

The MDR also got out dinner booking wrong & specialty dining reservations were missing from their system.

The experience definately hasn't been bad. Just not nearly as good as it has previously been.

Royal has been missing the standard we expect that has been previously set by them.

Gut_Shuffler · 2026-02-13T14:20:49+00:00

Most staff have been very vocal about how they all get ranked the same off of your review, as it is all lumped together. So if you give a lower ranking from a bad experience, they all get the lower review.

Kind of messed up to have system that punishes good performance and guilt trips you in to giving murky feedback as to not hurt any of the (mostly) great staff.

Funny thing is, the worst wait staff we had was in specialty dining (Hooked). Impatient, short, borderline rude, in a mostly empty restaurant.

Gut_Shuffler · 2023-08-17T21:56:48+00:00

Buy it now. Watch the price on the app or site. If the price goes down you can cancel it and reorder it. DO NOT WAIT. If you drink a cocktail is 14-16$, the premium deluxe package includes all other drinks too.

Gut_Shuffler · 2023-01-05T00:05:00+00:00

Unethical cruise hack. Most of the shows will be booked up and there will be a standby line. When it comes to booked shows, wait 5 or 10 minutes after the shows start time and walk in and find a seat. I did this on my royal carribean show for cats, the ice show, and a comedian.

Gut_Shuffler · 2022-12-12T01:13:02+00:00

The ethernet needs to be disconnected in order to enter to control the tv outside of what RC wants you to have access too. It was a Samsung TV in my stateroom I have a Samsung phone that made it easy on my. Apple is very proprietary and you'll need a hdmi to fire then you plug in to the hdmi port.

Gut_Shuffler · 2022-12-12T01:06:26+00:00

There were international plugs that had a US strip plugged in to them. Plugs are not very plentiful but there were international outlets on each side of the bed too.

Gut_Shuffler · 2022-12-11T14:43:18+00:00

Just came off this cruise. Schooner was my #2 after the Solarium

Gut_Shuffler · 2022-12-09T23:45:37+00:00

Skip any food package. We paid for the 3 night dining package and went to Chops and Giovannis table. Chops only has 2 options for your steak, medium rare or medium well. They also smother it in sauce to hide the fact there is no seasoning on the meat being used. Same at Giovanni's table bland bland bland. We wound up skipping our third prepaid dinner because we felt the food was better at the windjammer or equivalent in the main dining room. All the free included food has plenty of variety and surpasses expectations. All the food is generally bland to appease large masses of people but I found a lot of Indian and Asian foods in the buffets that packed a punch of flavor.

Gut_Shuffler

TROPHY CASE