Voyager of the Seas Review - 4/2/2005 (Long)

Here’s part 1 of a summary of our experience on the Voyager of the Seas, 4/2/2005 – 4/9/2005, Eastern Caribbean itinerary. We are a family of 3, all of whom have cruised with RCI before. It was a wonderful trip, and I wish I was still on it!

Embarkation

We arrived at the pier at 11:30 and were on the ship by 12:30. The pier was understandably busy, but it was a controlled chaos – with plenty of RCI staff guiding passengers to the correct location. We sat in a waiting area for a short while (where they gave us Day 1 Cruise Compasses to read – the true sign of the start of the cruise!), then got our SeaPasses, and finally stood in line to get on the ship. Although an hour seems like a long time from arriving at the pier and getting on the ship, between all the different steps – and the sheer volume of people getting onboard – it wasn’t too bad. There were cookies and water on a table in the middle of the check-in area.

As soon as we got onboard we headed to our stateroom, and despite it being before 1 pm, the stateroom attendants were kind enough to allow us to drop off our carry-ons.

And off we went to enjoy our cruise!

The Ship

This is our second cruise on the VOS, and surprisingly, it seemed newer this time. While it is the oldest of the class, it is still a stunning ship that resembles a floating resort more than a ship. Because it summers right near me (I live in Manhattan and can see her far far away when it is docked in Bayonne) I also felt a certain closeness to her.

Captain Erik Tengelsen ran the ship, and is apparently here only while Captain Svein Pettersen (who’s been at the helm of the VOS since 1999) is on vacation. He was polite and friendly at the C&A Welcome Back reception, and we saw him a few times around the ship as well. His noontime reports were clear and concise. The hotel manager (I forget his name, but he is from Austria) was the only other senior crewmember we saw more than once, and he also was very friendly and seemed genuinely interested in talking to us.

The Promenade

Sprinkles is definitely gone. In fact, it’s worse than gone – it was simply covered with canvas, and paintings for the art auction were placed in front of it. (There was one in particular of a nude couple that made me giggle every time I passed it, but that’s neither here nor there. You guys who were on the ship know what I’m talking about!)

ShipShape Center

I can’t comment too much about the quality of the equipment, except to say that the treadmills worked and that the 2 ProForm elliptical trainers were a lot better than the Reebok ones. Like everyone else on this forum (I’m sure), my day is usually jam-packed on land and squeezing in even a half-hour at the gym is a (necessary) chore. So I was thrilled to have the free time to enjoy a good workout without feeling rushed. Plus, there’s not much that can beat working out with a view of the open seas. I even got used to the workout music mix they played every day. (Note: did anyone else notice how much Britney Spears was played on the ship?)

I tried one of the services offered by the Center – a body conditioning analysis – and probably will not again. The health center associate gave me a printout of my metabolism rate and then explained a little about how the body works, and finally tried to sell me some seaweed extract pills to take for 3 months (“to remove the toxins in my body from living in NY” ) and a loofah sponge for $41. Fortunately he didn’t sell too hard (I think he may have been embarrassed himself but had to do it), but it still led me to question everything else he told me.

Staterooms

We had stateroom 8554 (E1), close to the forward stairs. We loved the location, as it was on the same end of the ship as the Café Promenade, La Scala Theater, and the ShipShape Center. Also, being on Deck 8 made us equidistant from both the Promenade and the Windjammer if stairs are taken (which we did most of the time).

The RCTV feature is a nice perk, and we checked our account several times during the cruise. We were lucky we did, as I got billed minibar items when I hadn’t used anything. It took a couple of tries between calling Guest Relations and the Stateroom Attendant, but ultimately they sorted things out. No big deal.

Dining

Service/Location

We were in the La Boheme dining room, on Deck 4. Waiter Sinan (Turkey) and Assistant Dora (Colombia) were both excellent and remembered our food and drink preferences right away. Dora kept us entertained with cheerful conversation every night, and Sinan was quietly helpful in guiding us towards good dining choices.

Food

The menus were slightly modified as reported here before, with a solid mix of old favorites (scallop risotto) and new choices (hummus). The fruit soups that were offered daily were very tasty, and I’m not someone who enjoys having fruit for dinner. There are about 6 daily alternatives that are also deemed “healthy”. I had the strip steak from that list, and it was pretty good. The only poor choice during the cruise was a lamb shank, which came hanging a little too tightly to the bone. A request to swap it with the shrimp took care of that issue quickly. Lobster night was Thursday. Desserts were mostly incredible. The Grand Marnier soufflé is beyond words, and the warm chocolate cake is always a favorite. One night they offered only a sampler (cheesecake, chocolate cake and something else), which was a nice break from the usual choices. The key lime pie on Friday was so-so.

Dress

Formalwear ran the gamut. Women had on anything from fancy ball gowns to cocktail dresses and even a few casual dresses. 2 Japanese women wore gorgeous kimonos, with complete accessories, and a few Indian women had saris. They looked beautiful. Men had on tuxedos, suits, and sports jackets. There was a lot of black.

On the smart casual night, again there was a wide range of dress. Women wore cocktail dresses or casual/sundresses. Men were in sports jackets or polo shirts. Most people even looked put together on casual nights, with women in skirts or nice capri pants, and men in polo shirts and khakis. There were a few pairs of jeans and a handful of shorts but they were few and far in between.

Windjammer

I liked the Windjammer. It was a nice, solid buffet with a sensible number of choices. There was always a fish entrée, chicken, burgers, pizza, and some kind of carved meat, as well as an assortment of vegetables. For dessert there were about 5-10 choices, and someone to help get you a slice of whatever you wanted. At first I thought this was a bit annoying (I think it’s been self-serve on past cruises) but seeing how messy the other buffet stations were, I’ve changed my mind. Low-fat soft-serve ice cream was available on both sides of the Windjammer.

At lunch on Friday, there was an ice cream station where you could get a sundae with fried bananas, hot fudge, caramel and sliced almonds. This was a high point for me.

Because we were second seating for dinner, we popped into the Windjammer once to look at their dining choices for dinner. It looked pretty good; in addition to the usual dinner choices (many of which were the same as those offered in the dining room) there was a sukiyaki station and sushi (with all cooked/smoked fish). There were 2 flavors of real ice cream available with the cakes and pies.

Tip: The back section of the Windjammer is called the Island Grill. Generally most things that are served in the front 2 sides of the Windjammer are also available in the Island Grill – with substantially shorter lines.

Promenade Café

I don’t know why, but the pizza here is better than at the Windjammer. The little sandwiches are nice too, and I liked that they always had oranges, bananas and kiwis available. You can also get coffee, water, hot chocolate and tea here. So if you don't like crowds and/or the Windjammer, this is always a good alternative.

Activities

Skating Rink

It’s small – about 1/6th of the size of a normal rink, I believe. I went during one of the free skate sessions, and if there is one family who decides they want to hold hands to form a human chain (as there was), they pretty much ruin it for everyone else. Not a complaint – just a note to anyone expecting to really skate vs move along slowly on the ice. Still, fun just to think about being on the open seas in skates on a ship. Skate rental is free and they even Lysol the skates in between rentals (bonus :))

Casino

The casino staff was very helpful, from the cashiers to the tables and slots managers. I played craps for a little while, and the dealers made the table fun while giving helpful tips on the odds. The stories about the slot machines are correct – people won big in the first few days. If you have a C&A coupon, try to use it – they’re good deals.

Entertainment

Herb Reed and the Platters were the Headliners on Thursday, and that was fun. In addition to their usual hits (“Only You”, “The Great Pretender”..etc.), they led the audience in a rousing rendition of “Michael, Row the Boat Ashore”. The female vocalist did a huge solo performance of “My Heart Will Go On”, which I thought was an amusing choice given the venue!

The Ice Jammin’ show (Tuesday and Wednesday) was enjoyable, as always, and as the seas were rough the night we went, the skaters did an especially great job. It must be a real challenge to skate not only in a tiny rink but also on uneven waters. The show layout was the same – a group program reflecting the various parts of the world, a special guest performance (ours was by Marina and Val, who worked with hula hoops on the ice), and the skating head-to-head competition. In our show, they canceled the pairs competition due to “the weather”. Surprisingly, we saw many of the skaters around the ship quite often – on the gangway handing out shopping guides, as our muster captain, and even in the health center working out.

The 2 RC production shows – Vibe*ology (Sunday) and Dreamscape (Wednesday) were pretty good. Vibe*ology was more fun, as popular songs from the 50s to the current day were covered. (I’m not sure if it’s my imagination, but the part of the show dedicated to the Jacksons seemed a lot more Janet than Michael this time.) Dreamscape was more surreal, and while impressive, I’m not sure I really got the point (maybe someone here can help me). Both shows had a Cirque du Soleil-like bit with one of the dancers wrapping himself in a long piece of cloth suspended from the ceiling and flying above the audience.

We skipped the comedian on the first night, so I can’t comment on the appropriateness of his jokes. Because the C&A Welcome Back party was the same time as the show on Monday, we didn’t make it to that one either. The only show offered on Tuesday was Ice Jammin.

Drew Devine was the Cruise Director, and though you could tell he was a little green (I believe someone said it was his third week as CD), I thought he did a great job being energetic and enthusiastic and head party poobah. On the final night, he brought out an assortment of the ship’s crew onto the stage, which was a nice touch. (Sidenote: at first glance he reminded me of Biff, from Back to the Future.) Casey the Activities Director was also pretty good and had a very nice radio voice, which worked well in Bingo. I didn’t see the CD staff around the ship as much as (last year’s CD) Richard Spacey’s was, but with a ship that large and 3200 people to entertain, I think it would be easy to miss them. Micah and Kat (whom we recognized from the Radiance last year, and is one of the nicest CD staffers ever) were around the most and always friendly.

Excursions

The Explorations! desk was poorly staffed and is really the only disappointment I had. The woman who was in charge of the area seemed perpetually irritated, and began her dialogue with me by wagging her finger and telling me there would be no refunds. I can only imagine the passenger before me gave her a hard time, but I don’t know that it’s a good excuse to greet a customer that way. The Virgin Gorda tour we wanted to go on was no longer available, and when I politely asked why, she only responded curtly that it was canceled. We also had the Miami Highlights tour canceled on us, so I’m not sure what was going on.

Fortunately we did manage to score tickets for the Paradise Point tram in the Virgin Islands and the Old San Juan walking tour – both of which were enjoyable and will be discussed in the ports sections.

To be continued ...

Thanks for your comments of the VOS. I will be sailing her again in Dec. and just have a couple of questions. Do they have the soft Icecream available all day by the pool sides? They did on the NOS a couple years back but I don't remember the Windjammer having them. Also what kind of Sushi was available, and when? Any good?

Hi N'BS,

I believe there was soft serve all day next to the pool, on the starboard side, as every time I passed by it (daytime and early evening) it was open. The sushi was only at dinner, so I never had it (we ate at the DR all week). When I did go to take a look at what was offered at the Windjammer, it appeared it was all smoked fish or cooked seafood. People were taking platefuls of it so I can only imagine that some people thought it was good (can anyone help here?)

Enjoy the VOS in December!

K.

This is part 2 of a summary of the Voyager of the Seas 4/2/2005 7-day Eastern Caribbean cruise.

Ports

Miami

I know this one doesn’t really count, but it’s such a beautiful scene I thought I’d include it here. On the way out to the Atlantic, the ship passes by some small islands with gorgeous houses (I believe it’s the Biscayne Bay area - someone please correct me if I am wrong) as well as Miami Beach. It’s worth being out on deck for it. And for the old, balcony vs deck dilemma, I am a complete deck convert – you get a panoramic view and don’t miss anything! If you don’t like the pool crowd, deck 11 around the peek-a-boo bridge is pretty quiet (and bartenders do come around for that sailaway drink!).

Nassau

Nassau was the first port of call – on Sunday. When we walked off the ship I was nearly blinded by the bright yellow thing in the sky. It had been winter way too long up north! Because it was a short port call, and we’d all been here before, we didn’t choose to go on any excursions. We took our time getting off the ship and walked around a bit in the area around the pier. Many shops were closed because it was Sunday, but because there were 4 ships docked (Majesty of the Seas, Carnival’s Glory, and a smaller ship whose name slips my mind in addition to VOS) the streets were pretty lively.

St. Thomas

St. Thomas was our next stop on Tuesday. When I woke up and looked outside we were passing the Queen Mary 2! It was tendered just outside of the immediate pier waters. In all, 8 ships were at St. Thomas that day, which made for a busy pier area.

Because all we had lined up for St. Thomas was the tram up to Paradise Point we played it by ear. It’s $15 to ride up to the tallest point on the island. The trams supposedly only take 8, but on the way up they crammed 10 of us in it and on the way down “only” 9. It wasn’t terribly bad, but it may be squeamish for anyone uncomfortable with heights. Up top, there were some stores with local crafts and a cantina of sorts. There was also a free bird show at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm, which showcased birds riding bicycles, playing basketball, and singing. The view was nice, but not completely 360, due to the hills on one side of the island.

For the rest of the day we walked around Havensight, which is the shopping area near the pier. Lots of jewelry stores, t-shirt shops, and a relatively large pharmacy for various sundries.

We were the first ship to leave St. Thomas that day, and passed the Queen Mary 2 again on the way out, exchanging signals. It’s amazing to think that 2 of the largest 6 cruise ships in the world were within a mile of one another – nearly 300,000 tons of ship right there!

San Juan

San Juan was stop #3, on Wednesday. We took the Old San Juan Walking Tour and loved it. Our tour guide, Carlos, from Colonial Adventures was super. He was entertaining, and we all left knowing a lot more about Old San Juan than we’d expected to. There is a lot of walking on the tour, though, (and even some steps), so bring water and wear the right shoes. A couple of the more elderly ladies on the tour left in the middle because it was too tiring. There was a funeral for a popular Italian singer that day, so the streets were very crowded.

Labadee

This was my first time on Labadee, and it was nice. The water was a little cold that day, so we dipped our toes in and pretty much left it at that. There are 3 cafes on the peninsula, which all serve the same barbeque lunch – burgers, hot dogs, chicken legs, and ribs (beef and pork) with salad, fruit, cakes, and cookies. They have hand sanitizing stations outside of each, which helps a lot. Wear flip flops, as pretty much the entire place is a beach and is very sandy. The marketplace was a neat experience, and vendors will bargain with you. The artisan’s market next door did not bargain. The one tram that took people from one end of the peninsula to the other was always full. We were fortunate to bring a map with us from the ship, as none were available on Labadee.

Disembarkation

Not too bad. We had blue tags, so expected to wait until around 10:45 to get off the ship. We sat in La Scala watching Prince Charles' wedding all morning. There were pastries and coffee, so it made for a relaxing time. A side benefit was that because the La Scala upstairs was right outside the disembarkation door, we were off the ship almost immediately after they called our color.

Once off the ship, waiting in line for customs took about a half hour. I was so envious of the people downstairs waiting to get on the ship! (Little had I known the previous week that the people upstairs were getting off the ship – I’d thought they were ahead of me getting on!) The lines were long but they moved, and eventually we headed downstairs, got our luggage and were back in the real world and on the way home.

Overall

Wonderful trip, and despite tiny hiccups they did not stop me from enjoying myself immensely. I didn’t see anyone really having a terrible time, and all in all, I think RCCL still does a nice job of making sure people have a good experience.

Thanks for your review. My DH and I were also on your cruise and it was interesting to read your account. I learned somethings that I didn't know about the week (e.g. the captain and Drew). This was our first cruise and we loved it! Also on Deck 8 so we probably passed in the halls a few times. Like you, wish I were there now!

As we get closer to our repeat trip on the Voyager, I've been seeking out these reviews. :) Thank you for your report -- sounds like she's just like I left it last year. :) Really glad you had good time :)

Thank you for that wonderful review, I am going 7/15/05, and cannot wait. If I may pose a question, are spa prices lower when the ship is in port?

Please advise

Thank You

Mario

Hi

Thanks so much for the detailed report. DH/I will be on VOS in July out of Bayonne and can't wait to go.

Just to double check.. was the cafe' near Hideaway Beach open for lunch? (near Dragon's Rock). Plan on hanging out on that beach for the day since it's quiet.

Great report and welcome back.

C ya!

Hi Mario - I'm sorry, but I didn't compare the prices of spa services at port and at sea, though there appeared to be more specials as the week went on. Not sure if this was a result of a poor number of bookings.

Lets Party- The cafe near Hideaway Beach was definitely open and a lot less crowded than the other 2 (which were near the marketplace and close to the tender landing).

Enjoy your cruises!!

On Voyager and looking for excursions for my Mother & myself. She is 62 and is not on her first hip anymore. She works, she walks, etc. But too long a walk is very hard for her.

Been looking at the excursions and she really wants to do the one where the Bus takes you around, then left on your own Old San Juan tour. (Can't remember the name ) It's the one the drives you around and then drops you off around there. It's the bus not returning you to the ship, that might be a problem. Did anyone notice what those older women did when they ran out of steam? Where there taxi's around to flag down? Can you pay in US Dollars for that kind of thing there? If I know how to make sure we can get back to Voyager, I will book the tour as soon as I can. Just need to know my options first.

Any other advice for excisions there or St. Thomas for someone like her would help me out a great deal.

Thanks.

:) Hi Windjamming ~ Thanks so much for getting back to me. So happy to hear that the cafe' will be open by Hideaway Beach. We've been to Labadee several times and DH/I love it there. Nice day to hang out on the beach and relax. Can't beat the view either.

:) Hi Mario ~ I'll be on the same cruise (7/15 sailing). We have a thread for our cruise only if you would like to join in. Really nice group and some of us are really crazy! Also, sign up for the meet and mingle party if you are interested. Here's the link to the 7/15/05 VOS cruise. Come on over and join us!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=82634

Have a great day!

C ya!

How are the pools on the ship? Is the kids pool suitable for 9 year olds?We have only cruised with Princess (Grand class) and are thinking about RCL, when they say the pools are salt water, are they actually like ocean salt water, or more like saline?? Thanks, any info would be great.

NJDaae: The Old San Juan Walking Tour we took had only a really short bus ride (2-3 blocks through the shopping area) and left us walking about 3 hours and all the way back to the ship. I'm sure the guide will be more than happy to find you and your mom a taxi, as they are responsible for the group and do take headcount at each stop. (Our guide was actually not very happy when the 2 older women simply left without saying anything to him. We only found out they left, because they mentioned it to 2 other people in our group in passing. They presumably took a taxi back to the ship, and yes, everything is in US Dollars there. )

Another factor that day may have been the weather (high 80s and very humid).

Hope this helps!

tapdancer_pm: I'm afraid I don't have that much information on the pools - sorry. Can anyone else help?

Happy cruising!

Hi Windjamming:

By any chance did VOS have any kind of "drink cards"? A few years ago on Nordic Empress they had drink cards and I haven't seen them since. Rumor has it that RCI canned them but was just curious if they are back.

Many thanks!

Thank You for your "Voyager" Review. I am going on Her again in Sept. and just loved Her first time I sailed Her in Her Innaugral Year. I was on all the others as well with Mariner being my last of this Class Ship last March. However, Voyager is my favorite. Glad to hear everything is just as nice and that the Ship is being well taken care of..... Can't wait for Sept. to sail out of Cape Liberty, so much closer to home for us as We drive to Fla. for Our cruises. I hate to fly! Again , Thanks for the review. Ike

We are getting married on the VOS in May and can't wait. We have been reading many reviews and get more excited with every review.

Has anyone gotten married on the VOS? Can you give me any information on the wedding (ie. where you were married, etc)

Thanks

Hi Windjamming:

 

By any chance did VOS have any kind of "drink cards"? A few years ago on Nordic Empress they had drink cards and I haven't seen them since. Rumor has it that RCI canned them but was just curious if they are back.

 

Many thanks!

Hi Trish - VOS didn't have drink cards. Soda cards were the only ones available (somewhere in the $35-$40 range for 7 days).

Happy cruising!

Thank You for your "Voyager" Review. I am going on Her again in Sept. and just loved Her first time I sailed Her in Her Innaugral Year. I was on all the others as well with Mariner being my last of this Class Ship last March. However, Voyager is my favorite. Glad to hear everything is just as nice and that the Ship is being well taken care of..... Can't wait for Sept. to sail out of Cape Liberty, so much closer to home for us as We drive to Fla. for Our cruises. I hate to fly! Again , Thanks for the review. Ike

Ike - glad to share our VOS experience! Looking forward to your "reunion" review. Happy cruising!