Rhapsody of the Seas

Kids’ clubs and a climbing wall on Rhapsody of the Seas

Rhapsody of the Seas keeps children busy by age group, and it is part of the fare. Adventure Ocean is her youth programme for 3- to 11-year-olds, split by age so the youngest can be doing hands-on science experiments while the 9- to 11-year-olds move on to sports tournaments, talent showcases and ship-wide scavenger hunts.

Teenagers have the Teen Lounge, a hangout of their own where teen staff run planned events without a rigid schedule, so they can join in or simply chill out. The Rock Climbing Wall is open to the whole family: it is complimentary, needs no experience and no booking, so it is easy to go back up as often as you like. To see sailings built around a family holiday, browse our family cruises.

Greek islands from Athens, the Caribbean from San Juan

Between May and October she sails 7-night round-trips from Athens (Piraeus), starting and ending at the same port. Ports vary from week to week; Santorini, Mykonos, Kuşadası for Ephesus and Istanbul are among them.

From November to February she moves to the Caribbean for 6- and 7-night round-trips from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Stops change between departures, but you might see Philipsburg on St. Maarten, Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Basseterre in St. Kitts and Nevis.

Around those two seasons come her longer one-way voyages. In April and May, and again from November to January, she sails 8 to 12 nights between Barcelona and Athens; typical calls include Valletta, Palermo and Alexandria. From November to January and again in March she also runs 9- to 12-night one-ways between Barcelona and Lisbon out into the Atlantic, with ports such as Funchal on Madeira, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Casablanca.

Wherever she sails from, we book the flights, a hotel either side and the transfers on one booking with the cruise, and on a one-way the flight home simply leaves from the port where she finishes, so a voyage of a week or more becomes the whole holiday. Her fellow Vision Class ships include Vision of the Seas, Grandeur of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas, and the rest of the line is on our Royal Caribbean cruises page.

Schooner Bar, Casino Royale and a night of dancing

Evenings on Rhapsody of the Seas run on live music and dancing. The Schooner Bar sets the tone, with portholes, a piano and live entertainment; it is free to walk into, and cocktails are charged unless a drinks package covers them.

Dancing is part of the fare. Ballroom Fever brings tango, jive, rumba and waltzes to the stage, and there are included classes in salsa, merengue, bachata and cha-cha, with private lessons available at extra cost. Casino Royale runs free lessons in the basics of popular games as well as tournaments at sea, so a first-timer can learn the rules before deciding what to stake.

Rhapsody of the Seas cabins and deck plans

Her top accommodation sits in Royal Suite Class, a suite tier rather than a separate part of the ship. Guests in her Sky- and Star-Class suites get the private Suite Lounge, with ocean views and a daily cocktail hour, along with priority service. The Rhapsody of the Seas cabins and deck plans show which of her suites bring that lounge access before you choose one.

Cruise1st puts together cruise holidays for travellers across Australia. Our Australian cruise experts, seven days a week, are on the phone to talk her sailings through with you before you book. To see her Caribbean dates alongside the line’s other ships there, start with Royal Caribbean’s Caribbean cruises.