Cruise Review - VOS 7/11 from Bayonne

Here is another review that may be helpful to those of you planning on cruising from Bayonne later this year.

The 5-day sailing on the Voyager of the Seas from Bayonne, NJ, to St. John and Halifax was very enjoyable. The weather was chilly and extremely windy throughout the cruise (even in July), so this is not the right destination for someone who really looks forward to lounging around by the pool and wearing light summer clothing.

I travelled with my husband and this was our 3rd cruise together. We combined a brief stay in New York City with the cruise and took a cab from Manhattan on the day of departure. First tip: please make sure you have driving directions with you to give to the cab driver as many NYC cabbies are not familiar with the Bayonne port. We had to give the cab driver turn-by-turn directions, but fortunately after the Holland Tunnel there were quite a few signs pointing to Cape Liberty and all in all the port was easy to find. The taxi ride from mid-town Manhattan (52nd street and Madison) took 50 minutes on a Sunday afternoon and cost $75 + tips.

Embarkation was easy, almost perfect. We arrived at 4 p.m. (official boarding time was 6 p.m.) and found out that boarding had started already at 3 p.m. We were travelling in a junior suite and used the suite check-in desk. The line was long and it took us about 30 minutes just to check in, but then we were immediately on our way ready to board the shuttle bus to the ship. Tip #2: if you enjoy having your embarkation picture taken at the beginning of the cruise do not arrive before the official embarkation time. The photographers were not there at 4 p.m., so we missed out on this photo opportunity (of course there were numerous other photo ops throughout the cruise and we ended up spending a bundle in the photo shop!).

The ship is a beauty and you can hardly believe that you are on the sea. The waters were a bit choppy on day 3 and 4, but otherwise it was smooth sailing most of the time. This ship is an incredible piece of engineering work and during your cruise you get to learn all about how it was built in Finland back in 1999. After 5 years the ship is starting to show a little bit of wear and tear but she is still in a great shape. The biggest problem was the elevators - they were always overly crowded and very slow. There simply were not enough elevators to handle 3,600+ passengers. One solution might be to program some elevators to hit even deck numbers only and the others odd deck numbers. We wondered if any of this had been considered or tested as a solution for the congestion problem.

We enjoyed our stateroom on the 10th deck very much. It was quiet and not too close to or far from the elevators and stairs. The private balcony made the cruise very enjoyable and we usually slept with the balcony door open to listen to the waves. The junior suites have a spacious walk-in closet and lots of storage space. The maid stayed on top of everything and always addressed us by name, delighted us with elaborate towel animals and provided us with impeccable service (the best we have experienced so far on any cruise). The only thing disappointing about the room was water pressure in the shower - perhaps this was not a problem on the lower decks.

I can't provide a first-hand account of the shows and entertainment options on the ship as our primary goal was just to rest and relax and not be on a schedule while on the cruise ship. We mostly walked around, took naps and enjoyed the food or played the slots in the casino. I exercised at the gym once and enjoyed it (although it was quite crowded on one of the "at sea" days). The professional photographers were taking portrait pictures every day before dinner and we took advantage of that - unfortunately each picture costs about $20, so this really adds up. The pictures make great souvenirs though and it's all part of the experience.

We had dinner at the La Boheme every night and enjoyed the company of our 7 other table mates. We were pleased with the food and service in the main dining room, but 2 things left a lot to be desired in comparison with our previous cruises: a) Drink service was slow every night (it took 10-15 minutes just to get a glass of ice-tea) and b) on the first night there was nobody to show us to our table and we had to keep asking different waiters for directions (and we arrived right on time after the doors opened) and finally found our table. We were puzzled by the slowness of drink service throughout the cruise both in the main dining room and in the Windjammer buffet. In the Windjammer they ran out of coffee and ice tea several times while we were eating there and had no soft drinks or other beverages available for purchase (we finally saw them available for purchase towards the end of the cruise). In the main dining room I ordered ice tea every night and always had to wait for 10-15 minutes for it to arrive. On the 3rd night I ordered a coffee drink (listed on the dessert menu) to go with my dessert and had finished eating dessert by the time the drink finally arrived (I was not charged for the drink in this case). For some reason these glitches with beverage service persisted throughout the cruise.

Formal night was on the 2nd day (Monday). There were many opportunities for formal portraits and even a picture with the captain. It was amazing how many people arrived in the main dining room wearing casual clothes and not formal and the dress code was not enforced. I have seen people get much more dressed up on the Caribbean cruises.

The food quality and selection at the Windjammer was not the greatest, but we enjoyed the burgers and fries in the Island Grill very much (behind the Windjammer). Unfortunately burgers were not always available and the Island grill closed much earlier than the Windjammer in the afternoon. There was of course Johnny Rockets hamburgers and shakes, which we had twice during this cruise (no line on day 5 and a 15-minute wait on day 2). The food at Johnny Rockets is included in the cruise, but the shakes are over $4 with gratuity, so each visit cost about $9 for the 2 of us.

Then about the excursions: we took the Moosehead Brewery & city highlights tour in St. John and the Peggy's Cove tour in Halifax. The Moosehead Brewery tour was not really worth it as due to compliance with new security procedures visitors are not allowed into the bottling area and we only saw the gift shop and a brief video in a Moosehead conference room. Our recommendation would be to only take the city highlights tour and not pay extra for the brewery tour (they can't allow any tasting at the brewery either for liability reasons). There were some quaint shops in St. John and the locals were extremely friendly (at the port all ladies were greeted with a rose and the gents received a pin). In Halifax we took the Peggy's Cove tour, which took about 3.5 hrs. This small fishing village was very unique and we were happy with our tour choice. However, it was very windy and chilly out there and the area had too many tourists in it. We had 1 hr and 20 minutes to explore Peggy's Cove before heading back to Halifax. In the city of Halifax we walked around for about an hour before returning to the ship.

Disembarkation was easy on the last day. We had made our own air arrangements and asked to be able to disembark among the first groups. We received lavender tags (group 2) and this color was called at around 9:30 a.m. (the ship arrived around 6:30 a.m.). We found our bags easily and hopped on one of the shuttle buses going to the Newark airport and were there by 10:30 a.m. This was a very smooth process. One more tip: passengers are asked to wait in the La Scala theater for their tag color to be called, but you can just as well wait e.g. in Studio B on deck 3 to be a bit closer to the gangway. All staterooms have to be vacated by 8 a.m., so unfortunately waiting in the privacy of your own room is not an option.

All things considered we found this cruise a good value and a relaxing vacation. It gave us an opportunity to explore a beautiful corner of the world we might otherwise never travel to.

I have to agree with CruiseKatarina, It was a wonderful cruise, especially since it was my first ever! Bayonnecruiser, if you read this, how did you enjoy it? I remember in one of your previous posts, that you were on the same cruise as me. Royal Caribbean was fantastic in my opinion (though I really have nothing to compare it to lol, but it was definately a great vacation getaway in my view.) I guess they got all the kinks worked out in Bayonne, since from Pier dropoff to time I boarded the Ship was about twenty minutes. Had very friendly check-in staff, as well as a teriffic waiter. On a sidenote, I would like to extend a thank you to Cruise Director James Andrews and Captain Svein Petterson. James was extremely hilarious, not just in the shows (i.e. the Marriage Game, for anyone that attended you know what I am talking about hehe), but I ran into him on Deck 5, and just talking for a few minutes, you can tell he is a great guy with a wonderful sense of humor. Also managed to run into Captain Petterson on Deck 4, He saw my Law Enforcement shirt I was wearing and asked if I arrested anyone on the ship yet hehe, to which I replied no, we engaged in small talk for about five minutes then I told him I was headed to the Champagne Bar for a drink, I invited him to go to which he surprised me and said yes. (No, he did NOT drink hehe) , and Captain Petterson is an extremely professional man, and for a Captain, especially a Captain on a ship that grand, to take time out of his busy routine and chat with a fellow passenger for a little bit meant alot. Once again, a wonderful Thank You extends to him.

Well everyone, I am now HOOKED on cruising, especially chatting to all you wonderful people, and look forward to writing a lot more on these boards ;) .

I loved the cruise so much, I actually booked not one but TWO cruises for 2005, I am not even off the ship for 72 hours and I am already counting down the days until Feb 2005!

Well, I will start with our experience. This was my 3rd cruise and my husbands first. We took Amtrak into Penn station. Spent the night in manhattan then Sunday afternoon took the PATH train to Hoboken $3.00 total and the the light rail to the 34th street stop in Bayonne for $3.00. As our first experience with this rail it was very EASY!!! However, you cannot pull your luggage through the turnstyle. You must walk through, have your strong husband pass the luggage to you or walk through carrying it above the turnstyle. We then called a cab that picked us up at the station. $8.00 to terminal. Check in a piece of cake, no waiting. We arrived at 4:00. This was the easiest check in I've ever experienced. The ship is amazingly beautiful. We were disappointed as I requested 2x prior to have a table for 2, we were assigned a table for 7. We were told the ship was full and couldn't change our table. We ate in the dining room Sunday and Monday. We did see people entering the diningroom with shorts and tee shirts on the other days. This was not the case on Carnival. RCCL requirements were no tank tops and no bare feet. My husband starting getting sea sick Sunday night and slept all day Monday until he dragged himself up for the formal night on Monday. Tuesday- Saint John we rented a car. Very easy to get around and drove the fundy trail. Market square is a hertz and a shopping center. The weather was nice low 70's you could wear light pants and a t-shirt. Wed. on the other hand was so windy and cold I wore a hooded sweatshirt drawn right up around my face. The seas were rough. The shopkeepers told us the weather has been bad all summer. If its not raining and hot its been windy and cold. We were talking to a waiter about the cold weather and he said Sept. is nicer. Wed. night leaving Halifax we traveled faster, 21 knots. The seas were very rough and I have never gotten nauseous but I did that night. My husband and I were in bed at 8:30. Many others voiced complaints the next day as to how bad it was the night before. Thursday our day at sea was better. The sun came out for awhile although still very windy. I didn't see anyone up on the sun deck it was just to blowing too much. Friday back in port very warm. Now to the horrible part!!!!

We were out of our cabin at 7:45. We stayed on a lounge on deck 4 aft. Our tags were red 1. White was first then lavender, I think beige, green, lt. blue, yellow 1,2 then yellow 3,4 then yellow 5,7,8 then yellow 6, then brown, something else then red 1 that's all I heard. We were off the ship at 11:00 Now, I was told on these boards that taxis were readily available. Well NOT!!!! When you walk out of the luggage holding area you walk to the right and we found a very long line of people waiting for taxis. They had 3 seperate lines. Newark airport, LaGuardia, then all other taxis. A couple of people went to the airport lines all others were in the other line then against the building were people waiting for their buses. Let me say everyone was pissed off. There was a man and woman with clipboards who starting asking people at the front of the line where they were going. If they didn't like what you said then would continue down the line. When they found people who were going the farthest away they would load then up in awaiting taxis, vans, and station wagons. People started really getting mad. Someone said how can you choose who gets in a cab. The man replied if its not a local cab the driver can choose where he goes. But we saw deals being made between the man and woman like they were getting kickbacks. The first said only 4 people in a taxi car or station wagon then we saw them talking with the driver and the driver took 5. We saw them ask if anyone was going to Manhattan. A family of 7 said yes, the man said $30 pp plus tips thats the best your going to get! This was happening in front of about 25 other people ahead of them. Now, my husband and I were going across the street which is about 2+ miles and 5 other people behind us, all elderly were going to Bayonne. When we got to the front of the line they were still taking other people. I would like to call it PIMPING. Taking the highest priced fares above all others. Then 2 policemen walked over then all th sudden we were put in local taxis that just arrived. We were in line for 1 hour. Which was ridiculous. The taxi driver told us that they have to follow the general traffic and have no right of ways to get to the taxi waiting people. RCCL better fix this because its the last impression you leave with and it left alot of people with a bad taste in their mouth. Overall would I sail out of bayonne again. If I drove as that seemed the easiest way out. Would I go north, NO! too cold. Did I relax, yes until trying to leave.

My husband and I also just returned from the 7/11 VOS cruise to Canada -- our 7th cruise and our first on RCCL. We drove up from the Baltimore area and had no trouble finding the port -- signs clearly marked the way from the NJ Turnpike. Parking was $60 ($12/day) and we paid cash but there were signs saying that credit cards were accepted. We also arrived at 4 pm and checked in quickly with NO waiting. Contrary to what Katarina posted, there WERE photographers taking embarkation pictures at that time and I ended up buying ours. In the terminal a band was playing, people were walking around making balloon animals for the children, and food (sandwiches, chips, hot dogs, and drinks) was served. We were able to get right on the ship at that time, although signs stated that boarding would not begin until 6 pm. I agree with Becky that this was the fastest and best check-in ever. Another plus for RCCL was that our luggage was delivered to our room almost immediately. Maybe this was a benefit of arriving before the stated check-in time. I don't know how anyone could have been seasick on Sunday or Monday, because the ocean was smooth as glass. We felt absolutely no rocking or movement whatsoever. (Coming back from Canada, it was slightly choppy. Nothing major, but some people complained about it.) We enjoyed the sports deck at the back of the ship and played the 9-hole mini golf a few times and even tried the rock climbing wall which was a fun challenge as both of us are 50+. I also won the ping pong tournament and got a gold medal!

As other people on these boards have stated, the people in Saint John went out of their way to be friendly and welcoming. They had a singer at the port when we arrived and a bagpiper when we left, and gave a red rose to each woman as they left the ship. The city itself, though, is not too interesting. It reminded us of the old town where my husband grew up in West Virginia. The weather was great -- sunny, low 70's. As experienced cruisers, we know that most of the ship's tours are way overpriced and too crowded, so we rented a car. We had reserved ahead of time, but it looked like no trouble to get one upon arrival. We rented from Hertz in Market Square (about $40 for a Cavalier), but I also saw Avis and Enterprise. We drove to Martello Tower which had a good view and to the Reversing Falls which was pretty much a non attraction -- just a river with a paper mill belching smoke. You could see that the river was flowing in instead of out and that's about it. We also stopped at the Moosehead Brewery but were told that all of their tours were sold out from the ship. I heard from someone who went, though, that it was a waste of time and they didn't really let you see anything. We wanted to buy some beer there, but they did not even sell it. My son collects different beer bottles from around the world and we wanted to bring back some that were not sold in the US but found that it was almost impossible to find a store that sold beer for carry-out. Evidently there are very strict alcohol controls there. We then drove out the Fundy Trail, and this was definitely worthwhile. The drive was very scenic and we were able to stop and get out and walk around and take pictures at places that looked interesting. We got to St. Martins around 2 pm when the tide was out. It is a little village with a lighthouse and 2 covered bridges. Drive through one of them on the coast route and you come to the sea caves which were quite spectacular at that time of day. I'm very glad we rented a car and drove out there, because if we'd stayed in town we would have missed it and thought the port was dull and a waste of time. The next day in Halifax, the weather was cold, cloudy, and windy. We had jackets, but wished we also had sweatshirts. We again rented a car from Hertz to drive out to Peggy's Cove ($40 versus almost $100 for 2 on the ship's tour). Peggy's Cove is definately a must-see, but be prepared for icy cold wind blowing continuously. It was ridiculously crowded with tour buses, but since we had a car we could wait until most of the people had left. Please note that you cannot go up in the lighthouse. People were lined up at the base thinking you could, but all that's there is a post office in the bottom. The scenery in the area is amazing -- huge rocks and boulders piled up by glaciation. We wanted to drive to Lunenberg, but were told it was about 1 1/2 hours from Halifax and decided we wouldn't have time. We also went to the Citadel which was very interesting -- lots of artifacts on display and a drill team in kilts marching around inside.

I liked the Voyager very much. It is beautifully decorated with a lot to do. We went to all of the shows in the evening, and thought they were all great! We also really enjoyed the music of the Stingrays in Cleopatra's Needle. We were on the 7th deck and had no problems with the shower. The mattress could have been better, though. The food was very good, but not in the same league as Celebrity. We were in the same dining room as Katarina, but had a different experience with the service -- ours was great. The drink waiter was very prompt and efficient and visited our table several times each evening. Disembarkation was fine as long as you remember to be patient as 3,500 people need to get off the ship. We waited on deck 11 at the rear of the ship. We could play ping pong, go outside, or sit inside, and since we were on the top deck, we were first in the elevator. People waiting on lower floors found that when elevators reached them, they were already full. Since we drove, it was a short walk to our car and we were outta there!

As others have said, though, I probably wouldn't go north again. Although it's always great just to be on a cruise, it was TOO COLD AND WINDY. Very few people sat out by the pools. I will be returning to the Caribbean next year!

Thanks for the great reviews of this trip, I will be taking this cruise next Sunday and I have a few questions for you guys who just returned. It was mentioned that it was really cold and windy, do you mean it was like this all the time or just at nights? What about the last day heading back to NJ? I also am wondering about the mix of passengers on this cruise, I am 21 years old and going with my family and I'm afraid there won't be anyone my age on the ship. Does anyone have any comments on the nightlife in the nightclub and other night spots?

It was mentioned that it was really cold and windy, do you mean it was like this all the time or just at nights? What about the last day heading back to NJ? I also am wondering about the mix of passengers on this cruise

It was cold or chilly (also during the daytime) throughout the cruise (including day 5 at sea) except for day 1 when we left NJ. It got cooler day by day and by the time we reached Halifax many passengers were buying additional clothing items just to make it through the day (which the local vendors were selling at the pier). In Halifax I was wearing 4 layers of clothing and my husband wore 3. We are from Texas and actually welcomed the break from the heat, but it was still much colder than we had anticipated!

About the mix of passengers - the good thing is that with 3,600+ passengers on board you get a little bit of everything. We saw quite a few people who were in the 18-20 age group as well (I could tell by the way their Seapass card had been punched to indicate drinking privileges granted by the parents upon check-in). Still my impression from this cruise was that the majority of the passengers were 50+ years old. We are thirty-somethings and were the youngest couple at our dining room table, we did not even spot honeymooners on this cruise (although there probably were some).

Contrary to what Katarina posted, there WERE photographers taking embarkation pictures at that time and I ended up buying ours.

I was so bummed to learn that I missed it! Would you mind sharing where exactly they were taking the embarkation pictures? We where whisked to the ship directly from check-in and only had to stop for a security photo. I kept looking for the photographer, but did not see one and was too excited about the early embarkation to slow down and ask the question! This was around 4:30 p.m.

Monam, you wrote that you walked back to your car when you got back. When you arrived for embarkation, did you drop off your luggage and then park or is it a short enough walk to just park and roll the luggage?

Thanks everyone for your reviews and comments.

We are doing the 5 day Canada cruise in August.

On the formal night, were there many men in tuxedos?

Were jackets worn by the men for any other evening?

(I think there is 1 formal, 1 smart casual and 3 casual nights).

Despite the cold outside, was the inside temperature comfortable enough to wear summer clothing, such as shorts during the day, and sleeveless tops at night?

 

On the formal night, were there many men in tuxedos?

 

Were jackets worn by the men for any other evening?

(I think there is 1 formal, 1 smart casual and 3 casual nights).

 

Despite the cold outside, was the inside temperature comfortable enough to wear summer clothing, such as shorts during the day, and sleeveless tops at night?

Hi Sophie, I only saw a couple of tuxes on the formal night and most men opted for a dark suit. This cruise is not as dressy as some of the Caribbean cruises. I saw very few jackets at dinner after the formal night. The inside temperature was always comfortable and wore summer clothing during the sea days. I wore a sleeveless evening gown on the formal night and was not cold in the dining room or the public areas.

Cruiseguy, when we arrived at the port, they had us pull up and drop our luggage and then circle back around to the parking lot. They had a shuttle to drive us back to the terminal, but it was just a short walk. The parking area was gravel, so difficult to roll suitcases. When we returned after the cruise, I waited with the luggage and my husband just walked over and got the car and drove back.

Katarina, there were two photographers taking the pictures back behind the check-in desk (in the waiting room area).

Monam,

Did you rent your car in Halifax ahead of time, or when you got to the pier? Did you have any trouble finding your way around town and to Peggy's Cove? We're going in October and I'd like to get a car, but am a little worried about getting lost.

Monam - thanks.

Winkelmann - we rented a car last year from Enterprise. They will meet you in the terminal (they have a little booth) and take you to the check-in. It's a 3 minute walk to get back later. Definitely book ahead of time. I highly recommend renting a car. Including gas, it cost us less than 2 excursion tix, and we got to do it at our speed, plus we drove to some other towns along the shore.

Good to read reviews of the cruise that I just took with you to Canada on the Voyager of the Seas. Sorry I didn't get to meet any of you as some had planned.

It was my first RCI cruise and I was overwhelmed by the sheer size and magnificence of the VOS. SPECTACULAR! HILARIOUS! (The Promenade could be any Mall in any city in the world). Great people watching!

I hope to do a more extended review when I get the inspiration and energy and time. But, for now, let me say how good it was. The ship, the food, the service (at least some of it), the ports - superior. Our stateroom was a modified cabin - spacious and lovely. Our room steward perhaps the best yet of any cruise.

The stunning dining room served delicious and appealing meals. Though I found the service (especially, as someone else did, the drink service) to be not as good as on other cruises (mostly NCL). I much prefer free style dining; nothing like eating when you want. But I must say I understand now why some prefer traditional dining. We had fabulous table mates and we looked forward to seeing them each evening.

It was a bit chilly (it reminded me of my cruise to Alaska in May). But the weather was quite good really: no real rain, no mistiness that interfered with visibility. The sun even shone at times, especially in St John.

In St John I was met at the pier by an old friend and given a great tour (he had a friend with him, who had been for years director of tourism for the city of St John). In Halifax we rented a car from Enterprise ($28) and had a magnificent riding tour of the countryside and Peggy's Cove. We asked around about "cheap lobster" and was pointed to a shack and they pulled out two one and a half pounders from the pool and steamed them and 20 minutes later we were enjoying absolutely scrumptious lobsters (and for only $10).

All in all, a great cruise. I loved the Voyager. I loved Canada. And, while some service was not as good as other cruises, some of it surpassed anything I had yet known. I'd sail again on RCI and the Voyager of the Seas with joy!

Thank you all for the reviews. Could not find any reviews re this Canada trip. Just booked it on Friday and looking forward to leaving on Sunday the 25th. Glad for all the tips and reviews. Had a very rocky cruise on the Golden Princess in March so not much could be worse. Looks like this cruise will be very different. Thanks again!

Cruiserone, I am also sailing on Voyager this Sunday (7/25). You should visit our roll call thread! Here is a link...

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=44216

We are all meeting onboard in the Viking Crown Lounge at 10:00a.m. on the first sea day (Monday 7/26). It would be great to meet you!

Hey Bonnie and cruiserone, I will also be on the Voyager for the Canada cruise this Sunday. Really looking forward to this quick little getaway!

I just wanted to say i was on the July 11th cruise and arrived at terminal about 1:30 -2 by cab and check in was very easy. Check-in was the best i have seen and have been on 10 cruises.Very painless.

Halifax and St John both very chilly.

dining food was excellent. Though there is a limited selection for lunch.

Debark..we had pink one of the last colors called. Again painless. Got our luggage walked over to line for cab waited 15 minutes and away we went. There were people on line complaining about waiting on line for cabs but it really didn't bother me. Yes they were asking for people going to Manhattenso they can fill a van, they took people that were behind us. Bu again there were no problems.

Had a great time.

Winkelmann, to answer your question, we rented the car in Halifax ahead of time. I rented from the Hertz website -- it guarantees you a vehicle and price, but if you get there and decide not to rent for some reason, there is no charge. I also saw Avis and Enterprise at the port. The Hertz desk is right inside the terminal when you get off the ship, and they drove us to the Casino Hotel location to get the car (you could also walk as it is not far away). I had gotten a map from AAA in advance, but Hertz also gave me a marked local map as well as written directions to Peggy's Cove. Getting around was no problem at all.

I have to agree with CruiseKatarina, It was a wonderful cruise, especially since it was my first ever! Bayonnecruiser, if you read this, how did you enjoy it? I remember in one of your previous posts, that you were on the same cruise as me. Royal Caribbean was fantastic in my opinion (though I really have nothing to compare it to lol, but it was definately a great vacation getaway in my view.) I guess they got all the kinks worked out in Bayonne, since from Pier dropoff to time I boarded the Ship was about twenty minutes. Had very friendly check-in staff, as well as a teriffic waiter. On a sidenote, I would like to extend a thank you to Cruise Director James Andrews and Captain Svein Petterson. James was extremely hilarious, not just in the shows (i.e. the Marriage Game, for anyone that attended you know what I am talking about hehe), but I ran into him on Deck 5, and just talking for a few minutes, you can tell he is a great guy with a wonderful sense of humor. Also managed to run into Captain Petterson on Deck 4, He saw my Law Enforcement shirt I was wearing and asked if I arrested anyone on the ship yet hehe, to which I replied no, we engaged in small talk for about five minutes then I told him I was headed to the Champagne Bar for a drink, I invited him to go to which he surprised me and said yes. (No, he did NOT drink hehe) , and Captain Petterson is an extremely professional man, and for a Captain, especially a Captain on a ship that grand, to take time out of his busy routine and chat with a fellow passenger for a little bit meant alot. Once again, a wonderful Thank You extends to him.

Well everyone, I am now HOOKED on cruising, especially chatting to all you wonderful people, and look forward to writing a lot more on these boards ;) .

I loved the cruise so much, I actually booked not one but TWO cruises for 2005, I am not even off the ship for 72 hours and I am already counting down the days until Feb 2005!

LOL BOEING747

Of course you are HOOKED on cruising! this is the usual reaction from the first time cruisers. I took my first cruise 3 years ago... and never looked back!

Welcome to cruising!

Ccruizer, come join our roll call for Sunday's sailing! I posted the link a couple messages up the page! We are having a quick get-together Monday morning (7/26) at 10:00a.m. in the Viking Crown Lounge so we can put faces together with names! Please stop by!

Bayonnecruiser,

I have to disagree with the taxi service. Yes waiting in line for 15 minutes wasn't a problem and having people go ahead of you from behind if you were standing there for that short time. However, we had red tags and when we got to the line it was terrible. Like I said before we were going 5 minutes away by car and an elderly couple who lived in Bayonne stood behind us for 1 hour!! while the people filling the taxis picked and chose those that were traveling the farthest away as to fill the largest paying fares first!!

Shame on those involved!! RCCL better fix the transportation issues. If you were to drive your car, as I saw it, that was the best way to go.

Were there men in the dining room on formal night without jackets. My husband hates to pack a jacket for one night. He has very nice shirts, and we're wondering if this would be alright. Thanks

Am booked on the VOS for 10/03/04,how should I pack?If Canada is cold now imagine in october.Please help.This is my first time to Canada. Thank you

Am booked on the VOS for 10/03/04,how should I pack?If Canada is cold now imagine in october.Please help.This is my first time to Canada. Thank you

We went in May, and I packed mostly long or crop pants with light-weight sweatshirts and cotton sweaters for days and casual evenings. For formal night, had dressy pants with beaded jacket and a pantsuit for "dressy/casual" night and our dinner in Portofino (just changed the top). Never did unpack the bathing suit:-)

For excursions in ports, brought warm socks/walking shoes and my trusty rain slicker with flannel lining that I'd bought for our Alaska cruise - this was perfect as the weather could be nice and sunny one minute and cold, windy and drizzling the next.