Trip Report: VOS Canada May/June 2004

5 Night Voyager of the Seas out of Bayonne, NJ. Departed May 30 Returned June 4, 2004. Cabin 8334, deck 8 balcony.

I hope this is helpful to those of you who have booked this cruise for this season. If you haven't booked this cruise, and I may be deleted for saying this, I have to say with nothing to gain or lose by doing so, you may want to consider booking a different cruise.

Bayonne is a new thing for RCL. We had a tough time finding a Manhattan cab driver who would take us there (from a Times Sq Hotel). Make sure you have your explicit driving directions with you. The first driver we spoke to wanted $110. The second agreed to $60 and we went with him. I realize a NYC cab must return from NJ empty but Bayonne should not cost more than Newark airport. It’s closer to midtown Manhattan. The port is a still being converted from a freight port. You'll be processed in a warehouse then bussed to the ship.

This cruise was very cold. We didn't expect warm but we didn't expect hooded sweatshirt cold mid afternoon. No one was on deck and that created big crowding problems for the Voyager. With the decks being too cold (or outright roped closed) the 'Grand Promenade' was shoulder to shoulder and seemed like taking a vacation at the mall.

First, the good part. The entertainment was terrific. The production shows (2 nights) were first rate. The Cruise Director was the best I've been around. Even the ice show was well done and well received but to attend it you have to queue up for tickets which leads to one of the worst things about this cruise...

We stood in line all the time for everything. Lines ranged from typical for the main dining room to impossible. The line at 'Johnny Rockets' (1950s diner) was always very very long. People were tired of waiting but reminded each other "but it's free!". Well (1) nothing on a cruise is free, it's included in the cruise fare and (2) only the burgers, fries and hot dogs were free at Rockets. Ice cream and soft drinks had cruise ship (read 'high') prices.

The Windjammer food was easily the worst of the 3 RCL cruises I have been on. Picture a pile of bacon half cooked and all stuck together in a pile. Picture powdered scrambled eggs with puddles of water. Picture the queue for a single omelet station on a 3,600 passenger cruise. Picture Denny's.

Main dining room (second seating) food was well done and presented. NOTE: We were on the third level - Magic Flute - this level is different in design than the middle level (La Boheme) or the Main level (Carmen). If being part of the dining room - the music etc. - is important to you try to get Carmen or La Boheme.

After a day at sea port #1 was St. John, New Brunswick. The city has a beautiful, modern ramp system down to two large tents. One for souvenir sales and one for local tour sales and gathering. The city is a 3 minute walk away. Never will you meet so many kind welcoming people who have so (I'm truly sorry to say) little to offer. The city is a small, industrial port with little scenery. We were traveling with a limited walking older person so we took the $40 bus tour to the city and falls. The 'reversing falls' on the Bay of Fundy wrap around a paper pulp plant. Our guide felt it necessary to apologize for the terrible pollution. Note, there were many taxis available back at the ship that offered flat rate per hour tours that would have been cheaper and more efficient than a tour.

Port # 2 was Halifax, Nova Scotia. We did the $40 per person bus tour to Peggy's Cove, a lovely and unspoiled spot - especially I'm sorry to say when there aren't 7 tour busses there. We left our non-walker at the restaurant and climbed on the rocks around the lighthouse. It was great. Sneakers. Stay off dark rock services, VERY slick. Note the restaurant (the Sou'easter) where the $4o bus tour stops is the same restaurant where the $96 Peggy's Cove Lobster Boil tour goes. Buying a lobster lunch yourself is cheaper and wait until you're back in Halifax. McElvie's was recommended to us. a 1.5 lobster dinner there cost about CA $30. There is pleasant boardwalk that goes to and from the cruise ship. CA $9 or US $6 gets you a cab ride to locations in the city. A cab to Peggy's Cove is US $110 for 4 hours - this would be cheaper and more efficient for 3 people but I would definitely recommend it for 2 because you could get to Peggy's before the 7 tour busses lumber in. Without the cruise ship crowds you could probably finish Peggy's Cove before the busses even arrive.

Halifax was followed by another day at sea returning to Bayonne.

A disappointing thing about this cruise that's hard to explain was how 'out of place' the Voyager seemed to be for this itinerary. Everything on the Voyager is themed for a Caribbean party. The drink specials in the bars, the entertainment, the outdoor activities (NO one went on the rock climbing wall on our cruise) are all Caribbean themed. The staff wore flowered shirts under RCI jackets zipped up. The staff also constantly talked about how wonderful the 9-day Caribbean itinerary that rotates with the 5 day Canada trip is. They also said every 9-day Bayonne Caribbean cruise they have scheduled this year is sold out. I got the very strong impression the 5-day Canada cruises are merely fillers between the 'main' 9-day cruises.

We arrived back at Bayonne Friday, June 4. Disembarkation did not begin until 9:50am and the ship disembarked all 3,000+ of us down one ramp. Everything at Bayonne, especially ground transportation, was pandemonium. We had a 12:45 flight out of LaGuardia. For LaGuardia or JFK do NOT schedule your return flight before 2pm. ( ! ! ! ) RCL wanted $40 each for a bus transfer. We opted for a taxi, which was $80 plus 2 $12 tips. We zoomed off while the RCL busses were only beginning to board and barely made our flight reminding ourselves every cruise is a vacation to be thankful for.

Does anyone know if there is priority boarding for diamond members
thanks