Rhapsody Of The Seas

The 1997-built Rhapsody of the Seas cruise ship is part of Royal Caribbean’s Vision-class liners, with sisterships Vision OTS, Grandeur OTS, Enchantment OTS, Legend OTS (now Marella Discovery 2), and Splendour OTS (now Marella Discovery).

The vessel (IMO number 9116864) is currently Bahamas-flagged (MMSI 311805000) and registered in Nassau.

History - construction and ownership

Royal Caribbean International (RCI) is a US passenger shipping company, trademarked travel brand, and a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group (RCG/shipowner). Established in 1968, RCI currently holds more than one-fifth of the global cruise market and operates RCG’s largest fleet by both vessel count and GT tonnage.

All RCI liners have names ending with “of the Seas”.

The approximately 2,000-passenger Rhapsody OTS is among Royal Caribbean’s older liners. Over the years, upgrades have included the addition of a family suite and new staterooms, as well as new dining venues, a poolside outdoor movie screen, exclusive lounges for past guests, digital signage, and a nursery.

Among the first RCI ships to feature balcony staterooms in multiple categories, the Vision-class vessels are characterized by expansive glass skylights that allow natural light to flood the interiors. Each ship features a soaring central atrium anchored by a stylish bar that comes alive after dark, making it an ideal venue for watching the aerial performances overhead.

Decks and Cabins

Rhapsody Of The Seas staterooms (1,013 total, in 24 grades) include 98 Suites, 136 Balcony, 372 Oceanview, and 407 Inside cabins. Cabin sizes range between 130-150-190 ft2 (12-14-18 m2). Most balconies measure approximately 40 ft2 (4 m2). The largest accommodation is the Royal Suite (1,185 ft2 / 110 m2, plus a 140 ft2 / 13 m2 terrace). There are 14 wheelchair-accessible cabins.

The ship has 12 decks, of which 11 are passenger-accessible and 5 contain cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Rhapsody of the Seas received a new look with her refurbishment in March 2012. The USD 16 million makeover was part of Royal Caribbean’s USD 300 million, three-year “Royal Advantage” fleet renovation program, aimed at introducing facilities and amenities found on Oasis-class liners. Several Oasis-class dining concepts were added, effectively doubling the ship’s dining choices. New venues included the Asian Izumi, the Italian Giovanni’s Table serving family-style dishes, and the Park Cafe deli, a casual bistro concept borrowed from Oasis and Allure. The refurbishment also introduced a new Chops Grille, Royal Caribbean’s signature venue for grilled meats and seafood (USD 30 per person), and the Chef’s Table, a USD 95 wine-paired dinner hosted by the executive chef and sommelier.

Below is the complete list of Rhapsody of the Seas restaurants and food venues.

• Edelweiss Restaurant (1,090-seat aft Dining Room; offers Brasserie 30 lunch on sea days; hosts Chef’s Table)
• Windjammer Cafe Lido buffet restaurant (710-seat; Early Breakfast from 6:30 a.m., Breakfast 7:00-11:30 a.m., Lunch 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Dinner 6:30-9:00 p.m.)
• Chops Grille (specialty restaurant; reservations recommended)
• Giovanni’s Table (79-seat Italian specialty restaurant)
• Izumi (Asian specialty restaurant)
• Park Cafe (76-seat deli restaurant; complimentary, serving the Solarium area)

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

The heart of Rhapsody OTS’ entertainment is the Centrum Atrium, which underwent a complete makeover during the 2012 drydock. Its lowest level is on Deck 4, where the R Bar serves classic martinis in a 1960s mod décor setting. This area hosts most onboard activities, including art auctions, ballroom dance classes, cooking demonstrations, audience-participation games, and late-night dance parties.

The Centrum Atrium rises to Deck 8, with its upper levels equipped with rigging and stage lighting for aerial acrobatic performances.

The ship features several main lounges. Broadway Melodies Theatre is among the most functional, with fixed banquette seating that allows easy movement in and out of rows. Space is maximized by replacing tables with integrated drink holders on armrests. The theatre is decorated in jade-green marble, complemented by matching leather furniture and turquoise brocade. On a week-long cruise, guests can expect multiple performances by the ship’s singers and dancers, along with specialty guest acts.

Additional amenities include complimentary 24-hour room service, supervised youth programs, Internet/Wi-Fi access, laundry facilities, and 14 self-serve laundromats.

Below is the complete list of Rhapsody of the Seas lounges, clubs, and entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• Broadway Melodies Theatre (870-seat, featuring grand production shows with dance, acrobatics, comedy, and games)
• Photo Gallery and Shop; Art Gallery
• The Centrum (7-deck atrium and social hub with aerial acrobatics entertainment); Shall We Dance Lounge (300-seat show lounge); Crown Lounge (formerly Diamond Club Lounge & Bar for past guests only); Concierge Club (for suite and past guests only); Viking Crown Lounge and Nightclub
• R Bar (66-seat cocktail bar); Cafe Latte-tudes Bar (36-seat specialty coffee bar serving Starbucks Coffee); Schooner Bar (145-seat piano bar)
• Centrum Boutiques (duty-free shopping: clothing, perfumes, accessories, jewelry, logo souvenirs, General Store/alcohol and cigarettes)
• Casino Royale (282-seat)
• Royal Caribbean Online Center (24-hour Internet computer room)
• Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center; 6 Jacuzzis; 3 swimming pools
• Solarium lounge (with Cafe Bar, pool bar, and adults-only pool area)
• Outdoor Movie Screen
• Video Games Arcade; FantaSeas Teen Center and Disco; Royal Babies and Tots Nursery
• Adventure Beach; Adventure Ocean kids lounge area
• Sports Court (golf simulator, table tennis, basketball court); Crystal Canopy; Jogging Track; Rock-climbing Wall

Itineraries

Rhapsody of the Seas’ itinerary program includes Australia and Alaska roundtrip cruises from Sydney NSW and Seattle WA, respectively, with calls in Hawaii during repositioning voyages. Rhapsody OTS also operates in Europe (Mediterranean departures from Civitavecchia/Rome, Ravenna, Piraeus/Athens, and Barcelona) and occasionally in South America (from Santos and Buenos Aires), including Transatlantic crossings between Europe and South America.

For winter 2022-2023, Rhapsody OTS was homeported in Bridgetown, Barbados (starting November 2022), operating 5-, 7-, 8-, and 14-night roundtrip itineraries themed as “Southern Caribbean Island Hop” (5- and 7-night), “Southern Caribbean Adventure” (7-night), “Southern Caribbean Holiday” (8-night), and “Ultimate Caribbean” (14-night).

During the summers of 2022 and 2023 (August-September), the ship was homeported in Limassol. The 7-day roundtrips visited ports in Greece (Thessaloniki), Greek Islands (Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos, Skiathos), Turkey (Istanbul, Kusadasi), Israel (Haifa, Ashdod), and Egypt (Alexandria, Port Said). Roundtrip cruises from Israel (Haifa) were also offered.

For winter 2023-2024 (December-April), Rhapsody OTS had scheduled an RCI-first Caribbean and Latin America program based on three homeports: two in Panama (Colon and Panama City/Fuerte Amador) and one in Colombia (Cartagena). The 7-night roundtrip itineraries included a full Panama Canal transit between Colon and Fuerte Amador and visits to the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao) in the Leeward Antilles. An 8-departure Panama Canal itinerary from Fuerte Amador was planned to visit Cartagena and Costa Rica’s Puntarenas and Quepos. However, in August 2023, this program was unexpectedly canceled and replaced with 7-day Southern Caribbean itineraries roundtrip from Colon and Cartagena, excluding the Panama Canal transit.

Rhapsody OTS was built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique Shipyard (St Nazaire, France). Her inaugural cruise (maiden voyage) started on May 19, 1997. The ship’s godmother was Bodil Wilhelmsen, the wife of Gjert Wilhelmsen (principal stockholder in RCCL).

The ship’s Atrium is six decks tall and called Centrum. Its bottom floor (lobby level) features a bar, a grand piano, and a large dance floor. The Centrum’s main level also hosts numerous activities, including trivia games, cooking classes, song-and-dance aerial acrobatics performances, and art auctions. As this area is a main passageway to most public spaces, it is impossible to miss the action. The top of the Centrum houses the Viking Crown Lounge, offering panoramic scenery views during the voyage.

The liner’s namesakes are the cruiseferry GNV Rhapsody (1996), and the riverboats Amadeus Rhapsody (1998) and River Rhapsody (1999).

Rhapsody OTS refurbishments review

The list of deck plan changes after the drydock refurbishment in April 2012 included:

• upgraded amenities in all staterooms (HDTVs, renovated bathrooms, updated interiors, linens, and furniture)
• Jumbotron (large poolside LED screen for movies, located near the main pool on Lido Deck)
• new lounges (“Diamond” and “Concierge”)
• new dining options (“Giovanni’s Table” Trattoria/Italian cuisine, “Izumi”/Asian cuisine, “Chops Grille”/steakhouse, “Chef’s Table”/limited-capacity intimate dining, Viking Crown’s new a la carte menu, and the complimentary deli “Park Cafe”)
• Nursery
• upgraded “Centrum” Atrium entertainment program (acrobatic shows)
• R Bar (1960s-themed lounge)
• shipwide upgraded Wi-Fi coverage
• installation of digital signage boards

Rhapsody OTS’ drydock in May 2025 was conducted in Freeport (Bahamas) and focused mainly on general maintenance and classification works. The project also included general hotel upkeep of public areas and staterooms, with new carpets, upholstery, and furniture.

The ship’s drydocking in April-May 2022 was for routine maintenance and was carried out at Damen Shiprepair Brest (France). The works included hull cleaning and painting, mechanical works (machinery inspections and upgrades, including the propulsion system and engines), renovation of outdoor spaces (sundeck and swimming pools), and recarpeting of all indoor public areas (hallways, bars, and lounges).

Rhapsody OTS’ previous drydock was in December 2016.

Ex-Barbados cruises 2022-2023

For winter 2022-2023, Rhapsody OTS was homeported in Bridgetown, Barbados (November 20, 2022, through April 16, 2023), offering a unique program of 5-, 7-, 8-, and 14-night roundtrip itineraries.

7-day “Southern Caribbean Island Hop” itinerary (from USD 1,100 per person, double occupancy)

14-day “Ultimate Caribbean Cruise” itinerary (USD 3,100 per person)

5-day “Southern Caribbean Island Hop” itinerary (USD 890 per person)

7-day “Southern Caribbean Adventure” itinerary (USD 770 per person)

Itineraries 2017 changes

In May-October 2017, Rhapsody operated in Europe (Mediterranean) on 7-night roundtrip cruises from Venice, Italy. She then repositioned across the Atlantic to Tampa, Florida for Caribbean cruises starting on November 19, 2017. The previously scheduled Canada/New England itineraries from homeport Cape Liberty (Bayonne, New Jersey / New York) were operated by Vision of the Seas.