Has anyone been on the RC Vision of the seas?

We were thinking of taking a cruise to Mexico from L.A. We have only done Carribbean cruises. Are the seas rougher in the pacific? Has anyone been on the Vision of the Seas? How is it? What are the good excursions in Puerta Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas? Thanks!

First of all, welcome to Cruise Critic!

Vision is a lovely ship, with a great crew. I've never sailed the Voyager or Freedom class, so I can't compare her to those, but she fits right in between the Radiance and Sovereign classes of ships. We were on her right after drydock in January and, although there were a few bumps and bruises on her (some worn carpeting and a few chairs that needed replacing, something I wouldn't even have noticed but for being on Cruise Critic all the time:rolleyes: ), the crew kept her sparkling clean.

The current Cruise Director, Keith Williams is great - low key, not a lot of cheesy announcements for bingo & art auctions - and runs a good batch of activities, with something for everybody.

For shore excursions, I suggest you visist the Ports of Call section of Cruise Critic and click on the Mexican Riviera threads. The seas can be a little to a lot rocky once you get to Baja California.

Have fun planning!

We did a five day last December (Cabo and Ensenada) and are chomping at the bit for our seven day this December. Last year the only issue on rough seas was on our way from Mexico back to LA. (Our itinerary had only one sea day after leaving Mexico versus two sea days.) It was interesting. You definitely felt the movement as we were headed "upstream" so to speak. It was fun in the pool though, lots of waves! The going to Mexico and in Mexico was wonderful. Ninety degrees, sunny, calm seas in Cabo in December:D :D Saw a few whales and other sea life from the ship on the way down.

As for excursions, we did the 2 hour coastal tour in Cabo. Got some great photos of land's end and met some nice people from our ship. Cabo is not that big, so you can see a lot of the downtown on foot. We shopped in the a.m., had a snack at a wonderful sidewalk cafe then did our boat tour. Friends of mine did an ATV tour - not cruise connected - and had a blast.

If you've never been to Puerta Vallarta there's lots to do. We've been there about 10 times, although none by cruise ship, and have done something different each time. Just walking in the city is great! I'd reccommend an excursion in the morning, go back to the ship and freshen up, then check out the downtown in the late afternoon/early evening. There's some great places at the malecon to sit, drink a beer and watch the ocean.

Never been to Mazatlan, so we're excited to go!

We are looking forward to our Vision cruise in 2008 (so far away!:eek: ). We really loved the Jewel this year & we know that the Vision is older, but so far have only read great things about her. One question my DH has - does the Vision have the little snack bar in the Solarium? We got into the habit on our last cruise of going to the Soalrium in the late afternoon, having pizza or a crepe before climbing into the hot tub for a bit before going to our cabin to take a nap and clean up before late dinner seating.

We were really spoiled! Hoping to get spoiled like that again!:D

does the Vision have the little snack bar in the Solarium?

Yep, sure does. Pizza, hot dogs, burgers and french fries. Strange place to put it though. Snack food that attracts kids in an adults only area. And yes, it did attract kids, including mine! They even put it in the way back so everyone has to go through the solarium to get to the food. Need some better organization for that one. But hey, the fries are quite yummy!

We haven't been on the Vision yet, but are going over Thanksgiving 2007. I can say that the itinerary is awesome! We love Mexico and have a timeshare in Puerto Vallarta. We are cruising a little further south this November and then at least once to Baja and back to the Mexican Riviera again next year. Did I say we love Mexico....?!? :D

And yes, the first and last days at sea can be a little rough, if you are not prepared.

We have sailed on the Vision several times, the most recent being about seven months ago. Vision class ships are very bright, with lots of glass letting the sun in, and very nicely decorated. The ships layout is very well thought out and implemented, with never a feeling of crowding or excessive waiting lines. Beautiful public areas and comfortable cabins. The personnel were very well trained, efficient and cheerful.

When we talk about older ships ( Vision is about nine years in service) the years of service are only a part of the equation, with ongoing maintenance being the most important. The Vision is very well maintained and you are well aware of the constant cleaning, painting and general upkeep that keeps this ship clean and bright. I know the Waldork-Astoria is almost ancient, but I still enjoy visiting there even as old as it is.

There is a snack area in the solarium, and that is a very warm and relaxing area. The seas are generally generally smooth, with only mild swells and smaller waves, but like the Caribbean the weather can at times get rough. Just last week there was a hurricane off the coast of Mexico, but although we have sailed the Mexican Riviera many times, we have never encountered stormy weather. During the late fall and winter seasons it can be somewhat cool on the first day out of Los Angeles, but as you travel south the weather will become warmer, much like you see in the Caribbean. As for the ports of call you may find the ports much different than the Caribbean ports, but they offer a great deal in water sports, shopping and experiencing a different culture. You should have a great experience on the Vision on this itinerary.

Petert

Yep, sure does. Pizza, hot dogs, burgers and french fries. Strange place to put it though. Snack food that attracts kids in an adults only area. And yes, it did attract kids, including mine! They even put it in the way back so everyone has to go through the solarium to get to the food. Need some better organization for that one. But hey, the fries are quite yummy!

Well, the biggest kid who will be in the Solarium is my DH.:rolleyes:

Thanks for all the great responses. We are really looking forward to this cruise. I just wish it were sooner. Oh well, we have two cruises on the Monarch to tide us over until then!:D

Thank you everyone for your replies! We are planning a trip on the Vision in March 07. It is between that cruise and the Grandeur to Costa Maya, Cozumel, and Cayman on April 9. We've been to Cayman and Cozumel so many times--that we were thinking of trying the pacific side for a change, but were unsure about the seas, and the ports of call. Thanks for your help!

We took the Vision to Alaska in June. Very pretty ship. In fact we are booked on the Rhapsody for next year and I see that it looks like the Vision's twin. By the way, in the solarium they have very good chocolate chip cookies back by the burgers and fries. Get there early. They run out.

I have cruised the mexican Riviera multiple times. We have been on the Vision 5/05. It was wonderful as was the service. I have never seen a crew that was soo happy to be there. They were Amazing. Never felt rough waters. Lots to do in each port. Each time we have had a different touring experience. Hope you have a wonderful time

Can't wait to get back on Vision this Christmas, even if its just to see if our waiter and ass't waiter from our June 05 cruise are still there. The crew was happy because of Capt George but he's on a different ship now. Everyone speaks highly of doing the canopy zip lines in Puerto Vallarta. In Cabo San Lucas people like to go get a Cabo Wabo at Sammy Hagar's place.

Have to agree with what everyone else has said. Click on the link below if you would like to see our pictures of the Vision of the Seas.

Vision is my Favorite after the Radiance. (If it had a rotating bar in the Viking Crown like the Radiance then it would be my #1.) The itinerary is DIVINE and the crew seemed to really groove. LaUrA:D :D :D

We were on the Vision to Alaska and loved it. Its a gorgeous ship, the balcony suites were spacious, service was great, shows were fun. But, then I"m partial to Royal Caribbean. Its my favorite cruiseline and we've been n several, but RC is the best.

We cruised on Vision in March of 05. It is an older ship as others have said, and has different things to offer than the Voyager class . The overall ship experience is about the same as the others as far as food and entertainment. We took the whale watching excursion in Cabo- it was great. This is a beautiful port. In Mazatlan we were told by our cabin steward that there wasn't much to do . We didn't book an excursion through RC, but when we got off the ship, many tours were offered by independent operators. We took a van with two other couples and got a great tour of the island, with a stop at a great restaurant on the beach. We went downtown and visited an outdoor market and a beautiful cathedral. Our guide took us to the shopping area, and although the tour was for a set number of hours, said he would take us whereever we wanted and he was in no hurry to end the excursion. This was a terrific bargain ( I think it was around $25 a piece). In Puerto Vallarta we took the 4x4 Jeep Safari and that was the highlight of our cruise vacation. We enjoyed seeing the little villages and the terrain of the Sierra Madres. You can't go wrong with this cruise.:)