Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas Bahamas Cruise Review – Day 8: November 30, 2014

My final day onboard Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas started out sunny and warm as we were off the coast of Virginia when I got up in the morning. It was one of those perfect days to sit out on the balcony and watch the world go by, which I did.

After the usual breakfast in the Windjammer, I headed back to my stateroom where for the first time I enjoyed the previously mentioned balcony. Being someone who mostly sails out of Ft. Lauderdale or Miami, it’s a given that no matter what time of year the weather is going to be warm enough to enjoy a balcony cabin.

I don’t know what I was thinking when I booked a balcony on this cruise. I could have saved the money and booked a window view or one of the new virtual balcony staterooms on Quantum. November isn’t exactly a warm month to cruise out of the New York region and until we hit the Bahamas five days in, being outdoors involved bundling up to avoid the cold, rainy weather we experienced.

As we headed further north, the temperatures began to drop and I had to trade my shorts in for a pair of jeans. “Enough of the balcony,” I said as I retreated indoors to embark on a picture-taking spree of the various public areas of the ship.

When I reached the Royal Esplanade, I couldn’t help but wonder what was going on with all the people down there. Curiosity got to me, so I ventured into the crowd only to find them picking through cheap, “designer” watches being sold for $10, that came with a “Lifetime Warranty,” and a free pair of earbuds.

Total crap, but people were grabbing them as if they were free pints of Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia ice cream.

Then, of course, another table of $10 t-shirts was being rifled through. But unless you were a size XXS or 5XL, there really wasn’t a deal.

I’m not sure why people feel the need to buy this crap on ships, but they do. Now, if you’re a smoker, they were selling name-brand cigarettes for $37 a carton, which I’m told is a good deal. The booze in the duty-free liquor store was pretty cheap as well, and people were buying three or four bottles at a time. I could just imagine the way I pack, my clothes would be soaked in Johnny Walker Black when my luggage came off the carousel.

Speaking of packing. It’s one of the most dreaded parts of any vacation. Just the thought of digging the suitcases out and packing to go and packing to come home send shivers up my spine. I’m not a good packer at all. I’m one of those who overpack. But on this cruise, since I had to fly to the ship, I packed light and it worked.

Once I traversed every deck of the ship snapping away like a Japanese tourist, I headed up to the Windjammer to get a hot bowl of soup, but it was closed. The Coca-Cola Freestyle machines were still wide open for anyone, beverage package or not, I made another mental note to bring that up with Guest Services.

Upon returning to my stateroom, my luggage tags were delivered along with the disembarkation schedule. After seeing that my get-off-the-ship-time was 9:30, I knew I was not going to make my flight, so down to guest services I go. People were lined up, most with luggage tags in hand wanting to change their time as well.

On Quantum there really isn’t a front desk per se, there are several free-standing stations where guest services agents stand while others roam the room with tablet computer in hand helping those who could be helped without having to go to one of the stations. I happened to be one who was helped by a roaming agent who took my luggage tags and suggested I do the “self-assist” disembarkation option where I carry my own bags off the ship anytime between when the ship is cleared and 9:30am.

Seeing this was the best option to allow me to meet my flight, I took her advice.

Time quickly passed and I realized it was time for dinner in the ship’s formal restaurant, The Grande. It’s one of the free restaurants on board and is billed as a place where tradition is upheld, therefore ladies are required to wear evening wear and men must wear a suit coat (ties optional).

Upon entering, I noticed that while some men were in tuxedos, most were not.

Including me.

Gentlemen not wearing coats are turned away at the door, something you are reminded of the day of your reservation by receiving an email on your in-room television advising you of the dress code.

Once seated, I was presented with the menu and my server immediately asked what I wanted. I told her, “a drink and some time to look at the menu.” I felt rushed from the moment I arrived. A quarter of a glass of complimentary champagne was brought over and she asked again if I was ready to order. I told her again, no but I would like to order a cocktail.

Once it was delivered, she asked me once again if I was ready to order. I told her I really wasn’t but I would. For starters, I chose a shrimp cocktail that was served as expected, nothing special there.

Next up was beef carpaccio, again, as expected and nothing special.

For my main course, I chose the Lobster Tail Thermidor, which was a small tail, cut in half still in the shell. While other diners eating this dish got their lobster shelled, I had to fight with mine to do it myself. The lobster was small, not filling at all, and was accompanied by fingerling potatoes.

The maitre ‘d came over and asked how my meal was and if I was still hungry I could order more. This was the first time I was ever asked if I was still hungry, so apparently, there is an issue with portions in this particular restaurant if they have to ask that. While I declined anything else, the table next to me ordered two more orders of lobster and told the server they were starving.

For dessert, I chose red velvet cheesecake, which was small and good. I asked my server to please don’t bring dessert for 15 minutes, which she graciously agreed to do.

While The Grande is supposed to be the best restaurant on the ship, it ranks lowest on my list. Fancy attire aside, give me good food, good portions, and good service and I’ll be happy. Rush me, give me small portions then ask if I’m still hungry isn’t what I consider a part of fine dining.

In my opinion, there are much better dining options on Quantum of the Seas than The Grande.

This leads me to my wrap up of the inaugural sailing:

Staterooms:

• My balcony stateroom was beautiful, well organized, and had plenty of space that was well thought out. The bathroom was a tad small and those on the large size may have a problem with where the toilet is placed. It’s awkwardly close to the sink and shower and in quite a tight space.
• The shower was great, with plenty of pressure, an “eco” option for those who want to do their part to save water, and an override for people like me who prefer to get clean over saving the planet.
• The bed was comfortable, but after all, there were only a few people sleeping in it before me. Two terry cloth bathrobes were in one of the room’s two closets.
• While storage is plentiful in the room itself, the bathroom lacks enough space for a lot of toiletries. Keep that in mind when you’re packing!
• The balcony was small, but it had two reclining chairs, each with a footrest and a small table.

Restaurants:

• The Dynamic Dining concept is a hit for me, but for many, it was the biggest complaint. If you’re one who must have a main dining room, this ship is not for you. There is none. Instead, you sample any of the ship’s 17 free, and for-free, restaurants, all offering a unique menu.
• Individual restaurant reviews can be found in the daily reports, but if I had to pick my top three, number three would be Silk where I had an amazing Asian Duck. Number two would be Jamie’s Italian where I had a great eggplant parm and a delicious tagliatelle with bolognese sauce, plus all the pasta is made fresh onboard daily. Number one, hands down, would be Wonderland. Everything about the restaurant is special, the atmosphere, the creativity applied to the dishes, the whimsy at every turn, and the delicious food.
• Worst experience on board? The Grande. I did not eat at Coastal Kitchen, as this is reserved for suite guests and I did not order room service.

Fast Serve Food Options:

• The Windjammer Cafe is large enough and has plenty of seating to accommodate all passengers. Sharable tables, high tops, and large tables for families are plentiful as are two tops. I only ate breakfast here and the occasional soup and salad, but each time the food was hot, fresh, and well-presented. Service however can be slow. It’s hard to track down a server to grab you a beverage, but if you go daily, they remember you – like they did me – and would bring over what I wanted and then keep an eye on me. Empty tables were quick to be cleaned, which always left an ample supply of tables available.
• Sorrento’s pizza is billed as New York Style, but it’s not. The slices are small but good. Not the best pizza I had and definitely not the worst, but it’s a good choice for something quick.
• Cafe270 is another option as is the cafe in the Esplanade if you want to grab a sandwich or a custom-made salad or soup. Most of the sandwiches, except the Kummelweck and hot sandwiches, are pre-made.
• I did not eat at Michael’s Genuine Pub, Johnny Rockets, or the Sea Dog hot dog truck in the SeaPlex.

Entertainment:

• Simply put, Royal Caribbean is investing a ton of money into entertainment and it shows.
• Mamma Mia! was sensational.
• Starwater was visually stunning, but many didn’t like it, calling it “too much,” but then again, the crowd on this ship wasn’t into anything technical, so giving them a show with robotic screens and flashing video walls, is a little too much.
• Sonic Odyssey was yet another great show, but it was too loud for many and definitely appeals to a younger audience rather than the older crowd on this particular voyage.
• The ventriloquist seemed out of place on this modern ship, he seems more at home with the Holland America crowd.
• MO5AIC was fantastic as a performing guest group.
• Entertainers in the various lounges varied, as did their talents. Some were good, some were bad, and some were average.
• If you’re sailing on Quantum, do yourself a favor and don’t miss Mamma Mia, Starwater, or the robo screen shows offered in Two70 during the day.

Fellow Passengers:

• This is where my biggest complaint lies. The passengers on this cruise were simply abhorrent. Being that this was an inaugural cruise, bookings were opened up to Royal Caribbean’s loyalty program members first, which is how I booked my trip. The Crown & Anchor Society members onboard touted their status by wearing both homemade name tags and gold “Pinnacle Club” tags with their names on them. These loyalists complained on a constant basis, were rude to other passengers, cut in lines, and frankly, annoyed the crap out of me.
• The average age for this sailing was probably around 55 – 65, with most people from the New York / New Jersey area. Being it was a holiday cruise, I thought there would be more families on board with children, but there were not. This was mainly a Crown & Anchor cruise with an older crowd who went to bed early leaving the ship pretty much quiet after 10pm.

The Ship:

• Quantum of the Seas is simply gorgeous. This new class of vessel has raised the standards for other ships to follow, and that is going to be hard. From getting rid of the traditional main dining room and renaming the line’s hallmark Royal Promenade, the Royal Esplanade, Royal Caribbean set the tone that this is the future, and the future is going to bring about change.
• Each staff member has a tablet pc, that is with them all the time, and Royal iQ stations are set up throughout the ship to make reservations for dinner and shows (you can also download a version for your iPhone – Android is not available).
• Wayfinders, which made their debut on the Oasis class ships Oasis and Allure of the Seas are scattered throughout the ship to direct you to where you need to go.
• Stateroom keys have been replaced by RFID WOWBands that open your door with a simple wave.
• The décor is stunning, the layout is intuitive, and allows for a steady flow of passengers without bottlenecks.
• Drawbacks for me included the lack of a wrap-around promenade deck, bars not conveniently located outside some restaurants allowing for a pre-dinner cocktail a few feet away, and very limited menu choices in all the restaurants.
• For cigar smokers, a cigar bar is noticeably absent from Quantum of the Seas. Smoking is allowed in an area of the casino, in a sheltered smoker’s area outside on Deck 5, and behind the big screen television outside on Deck 14. Smoking is not allowed on balconies on any Royal Caribbean ship.

Internet:

• By far, the best Internet connection I’ve had on any ship. The OB3 satellite service they are using delivers what they call “boatloads of bandwidth” and I experienced no connectivity issues, no dead spots, and no slowness with the unlimited package I purchased for around $200. Being that I bought the unlimited package, I simply left my phone connected all day as if I were on land, and emails came through without a hitch.
• I was able to Skype and use FaceTime, although with my package the speed was not sufficient enough to stream movies and videos, although you can purchase a package that does.
• I felt the pricing was more than fair. Keep in mind, with certain packages only one device on your account can be connected at one time. Packages are available that allow two simultaneous connections from two different devices.

Quirks:

• The lights in the stateroom required your SeaPass card to be inserted into a slot above the light switch in order to conserve energy. Since you need to carry that around with you, even though you’re wearing a WOWBand (another quirk), I circumvented the light-switch dilemma by simply putting another card in there like a driver’s license.
• The North Star had mechanical issues that prevented it from offering rides for several days. When it was opening, tickets were very hard to come by, and many, including myself, did not get the opportunity to experience it.
• The Bionic Bar, for all its hype, was also a disappointment, as it suffered mechanical issues as well throughout the trip. As I mentioned in other posts, it’s not really a hang-out, but more of a take-a-picture spot and move on.
• In order for the HVAC unit to work in your cabin your balcony door must be closed. I know some people like to leave their balcony door open at night, but it’s not recommended, and killing the HVAC is a good way to get people to keep it shut (and conserve).
• Surcharges seem to be everywhere. From $3 nuts at Vintages to $3.95 for room service breakfast pancakes, to $2.50 for a hot dog at Johnny Rockets and an ala cart sushi menu at Izumi, the nickel and diming takes away from the overall experience and makes it seem like onboard revenue is a very important part of the cruise, when that should be something passengers don’t notice and take note of.
• Royal iQ was not working for the first day of the cruise and the “My Calendar” feature wasn’t working the entire cruise. I would have been nice to see the entire day’s activities within the app, reducing the need to keep the paper schedule with you at all times. If you install the app on your iPhone, you can use it to call various departments on the ship as well as text and call others onboard if you swap extensions. The app has lots of potential, but it’s just not complete yet.
• WOWBands are great for opening your door and eliminating the use of carrying around your SeaPass card, however, they are not a 100% replacement for SeaPass. If you bought a beverage package, you still need to carry your SeaPass so the servers can see the sticker affixed to the card indicating you have purchased a package. You also need to use your SeaPass card, rather than the WOWBand, when going on and off the ship when in port. I made the mistake of swiping my WOWBand over the reader when coming back onboard in Port Canaveral. That resulted in about three minutes of trying to figure out how to cancel out the swipe, log me as being off the ship, and then log me back in using my SeaPass. Like Royal iQ, this technology is almost there, but not 100%.

Crap! Remember the mental note I was going to make about speaking with Guest Services about a credit for the beverage package since the Coca-Cola Freestyles machines were free for everyone? Yeah, I totally forgot to inquire about it, even though credits were being issued for those who requested it.

I got up this morning around 6:30am to watch as we sailed up the Hudson River, under the Verazanno Narrows Bridge, and into our berth at Cape Liberty. I also used that time to pack, since I didn’t do it last night. Because I chose the “self-assist” disembarkation, I did not need to put my suitcases outside my stateroom for collection, I carried them off the ship, and I’m glad that I did.

At around 7:30am, with bags in tow, I headed down to the gangway on Deck 5, showed my SeaPass card one more time, and was off the ship and making my way through the terminal where hundreds were already lined up waiting for their luggage, which was still being offloaded. As these not-so-happy cruisers waited along the wall for their bags, I simply walked by, smiled, handed by customs form to an agent, was given the OK and out the door, I went. It took me under 10 minutes to get on the ship, and under 10 minutes to get off.

Outside, I got a ride to Newark Airport, where it took me 40 minutes to get through security. Longer than the time to get off the ship and the ride to the airport combined. Step it up guys, seriously.

Is Quantum of the Seas for everyone?
No.

Should you experience it at least once?
Yes. But go into it knowing that things are different and that the Quantum experience is going to be different from the experience on other Royal Caribbean ships.

Would I do Quantum of the Seas again?
Yes, but not from the Northeast. If she ever makes her way to south Florida, which doesn’t look like it’s going to happen, I would cruise on her again.

Would I do Royal Caribbean again?
It would depend on the ship. I would not do another Oasis-class ship, as they are too big – but are a huge hit with the Loyal to Royal folks. I much prefer smaller 1,500 – 2,500 passenger or less ships.

What’s next?
I’ve been invited by MSC Cruises to sail on the MSC Divina out of Miami for a 7-day Caribbean cruise from December 13 – 20, 2014. Divina is the only ship MSC has in America, as they are a European line testing the waters here in the U.S. I’m really looking forward to this trip to see if the European influence can be felt onboard, I hope you follow along on the journey with me!

Personal Day-By-Day Quantum of the Seas Cruise Review:

Photo Tour of the Quantum of the Seas: