VOS 6/2-6/12 Review

Hello,

We are about 7 hours post 9-day cruise on the VOS out of Bayonne. Here is my mini review:

Travel

1. We traveled from Delaware County, PA (outside Philadelphia Airport) by car. We gased up the Jeep, loaded it down with luggage and the two kids and left about 9:30 on Friday, June 3rd. It was raining the whole drive up I-95 North and the NJ Turnpike. The traffic was stop an go when we got to our exit and one the Bayonne Bridge. We saw the cruise ship from the Bridge. The family got excited. We arrived about 11:40. We planned to pay $120 for parking, but was charged $108. That was good news. Luggage was checked in- there was no upgrades higher than the balcony we already had. At 12:20 we took a Rutgers shuttle to the boat and boarded her at 12:30.

Once on Board

We went to the windjammer for a nice lunch. Our cabin 9228 (forward balcony) was available at 1p.m. Then walked around the ship until Muster drill. Nice Cabin.

That night, Saturday and Sunday we spent at sea. We had great table mates (from Ireland & New York), wait staff (Dora from Columbia and Joseph from Indonesia) and room attendant staff (Marvette from Jamaica). Saturday was the first formal night.

Labadee - Monday

We had a ball. The kids did the Luc's Splash and loved it and we did the SeaTrek Water park and loved it. We wish we had a longer stay in the Water park. The lunch was great. Our time not on excursions, we spent in the water and browsing the vendors. There was a lot of shaddy places just to sit and relax.

Ocho Rios - Tuesday

Another great day. Perhaps the best day. We had booked Peat Taylor. He and his son ONeal took a bus-full of us to the falls first. We climbed them. REMEMBER YOUR WATER PROOF CAMERA, it comes in handy. The water was refreshing on a hot day. Next we went on a tour of Fern Gully and the back roads of Jamaica. We also stopped at a Pre-School and greeted the children. We had an option to go back to the ship for lunch or each at the Ruins. Half the bus choose one and other half choose the other. We went to the ship and changed in some dry clothing and ate at the Windjammer and met, ONeal and Peat at 2:30. They took us to the shopping district called Sonis. ONeal stayed with us and no body haggled us.

Grand Cayman - Wednesday

It rained off and on. We had a rental car booked with AVIS. I got off the boat and took the shuttle to AVIS and found out I left my and DH licenses on the boat- so we couldn't rent the car. So they shuttle brought us back. We shopped the strip. Ate an $80 lunch as Cheeseburger in Paradise (because the Hard Rock Cafe had no sitting room). Then we took a $15pp tour to Hell, Turtle Farm and around the island from a local shuttle van. There is a lot of beauty, but also a lot of devastation from Ivan. Lastly we walked to the beach before boarding the ship.

Thursday- Sea Day

It was welcome as a rest day. Also 2nd Formal Night. However, Thursday night was stormy.

Friday - Supposed to be Freeport.

For our safety and the safety of the ship. The Captain, didn't stop due to strong winds and waves. He also kept updating us about Tropical Storm Arlene which was leaving Cuba at the time- moving close to Florida. No port charges were refunded- only booked excursions credited and we got one hour of free selected drinks (Margarita, Tequilla sunrise, Mamosa and Champagne) between noon and 1p.m.

Saturday- our last day we ran around the boat doing all the activities we didn't get to do. It was great.

Illness/Virus

We didn't get sick and didn't see or hear of any complaints. I did bring my disinfectant spray, wipes and soaps, just to be precautious.

Adventure Ocean

My kids (13 & 9) loved. I didn't see them, except from bedtime and breakfast. They ate with use for formal nights, but that it is. They didn't to come home. They enjoyed the scavenger hunts the most.

The Cruise Director- Becky #1 is a riot.

We are ready to book another.

Thanks for the review. We are on VOS on 7/29. Can't wait! :)

By any chance, do you have daily Compass? This is our first 9-night cruise and I'd love to see the schedule.

(Can you tell I'm the type who loves to plan everything ahead?) :)

Great review, thanks a lot!!! :)

great review..thanks for taking the time. It helps us all plan!

We are leaving on 6/17. Really liked your review. Especially glad the kids liked ocean adventure. We are taking our DD 13 and DS 5 on this cruise, their first. Hope they like it as much as yours did!

Thanks for the review. We are on VOS on 7/29. Can't wait! :)

 

By any chance, do you have daily Compass? This is our first 9-night cruise and I'd love to see the schedule.

 

(Can you tell I'm the type who loves to plan everything ahead?) :)

Sorry, I left all the compasses on the ship this morning. 9 days worth would have been a lot to type and send to you. Activities started at 7:30 a.m. (breakfast and gym activities) and ended at until 3 a.m. or 4a.m. (Vault disco and Cafe Promenade). One pool and one jacuzzi was open 24 hours (according to the Compass). The Adventure Ocean started around 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. with some breaks for dinner and lunch for groups up to 11 years old. The older kids had activities until 12 or 1 a.m.

Some of the adult activities were:

1. Various exercises classes and seminars (multiple times daily)

2. Men's belly flop contest (once)

3. Men's sexy leg contest (once)

4. Kareoke (a couple times)

5. Art auction (daily)

6. Bingo (daily)

7. Midnight buffets (2)

8. Formal nights (2)

9. Captain's welcome reception (1)

10. Farewell Show (1- last night)

11. Ice Shows (3-4 nights)

12. Plenty of live bands (reggae, piano, big band, top forty)

13. Tap dance & Line dancing classes

14. Several Game shows (Love and Marriage, Quest, Majority Rules)

15. Broadway shows, bands, Comedians, Jugglers (nightly one or the other)

16. Several sports competitions (mini golf, rock climbing, basketball, etc.)

This is what I could remember, I can't give you specific nights or times.

Thanks for your great review...I leave on the VOS Friday!! I was just reading about the game quest...never heard of it but sounds like fun, did you do it & whats it all about?

Thanks...Susan

Thanks for your great review...I leave on the VOS Friday!! I was just reading about the game quest...never heard of it but sounds like fun, did you do it & whats it all about?

Thanks...Susan

The cruise director- Becky #1 runs the game. She is a hoot. She is called Becky #1 because the activities manager is named Becky also - she is Becky #2.

It is an adult scavenger hunt game. There are select male and female team captains for each team area. I shouldn't tell you any more.

If you have reservations, sit in the back and observe. If you want to participate- make sure you volunteer and sit in the front and where clean and presentable undergarments.

thanks...sounds like my kinda game...do i just look for the name quest on the compass? I will be in room 6554 balcony & my kids across the hall in the promonade cabin...know anything about those rooms?? thanks again!!

thanks...sounds like my kinda game...do i just look for the name quest on the compass? I will be in room 6554 balcony & my kids across the hall in the promonade cabin...know anything about those rooms?? thanks again!!

Can't say I know anything about those rooms? This was my first time on VOS and my dinner table mates were in balconies from Decks 9 & 10 and I was from deck 9 also. I am assuming the balcony rooms are pretty much the same except I've read aft and hump ones are slightly larger.

Yes- look for Quest on the compass, it will be an evening time 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. I don't remember which night. It wasn't the first two nights or the last three nights- it was somewhere in between.

ok, this might be a dumb question: VOS= Vision of the Seas?

ok, this might be a dumb question: VOS= Vision of the Seas?

No- Voyager of the Seas. Sorry, if I misled anyone.

OK then, what's the abbreviation for Vision?

:)

Yes, HighLife, there are many ships whose initials overlap. The poster meant Voyager of the Seas, and most often, EOS means Explorer and MOS means Mariner, even though there are Enchantment & Empress, Monarch & Majesty. Like Vision, most people just use the names of those ships. The Voyager class ships carry the most passengers and seem to generate the largest number of threads on the message boards. I guess that's why most people feel comfortable identifying them with just initials.

Carol

Thanks for the great review--leaving on VOS 6/26 for Bermuda! It's gonna be great!

On the VOS this Friday.... I bet I get a lot of work done between now and then....lol....

How was the kids swim area? I hear the slide is not very big, is that true?

On the VOS this Friday.... I bet I get a lot of work done between now and then....lol....

 

How was the kids swim area? I hear the slide is not very big, is that true?

Adventure Ocean has their own kids pool on Deck 12. I would say it works good for kids under 10. The depth of the water is about 2 1/2 - 3 3/4 feet deep. The taller the kid, they would be better off in the general pools on Deck 11. On Deck 11 there are two general pools as well as 5 whirlpools in the general area. One of the whirlpools is adult and kids.

:D Thanks for the reveiw, it was very helpful. We're very excited b/c we leave on Fri. cann't wait.

Sounds like you had a great time, can't wait 'til 7/1(thats when we'll be leaving). Also, sounds like the kids had a ball, thank goodness, because we're going with 3 kids(1 mine, 2 another couples). Look for our review when we return.

Sounds like you had a great time, can't wait 'til 7/1(thats when we'll be leaving). Also, sounds like the kids had a ball, thank goodness, because we're going with 3 kids(1 mine, 2 another couples). Look for our review when we return.

The whole family will definitely enjoy it- Kids and adult. The Ship has activities that appeal to all ages.