Ten Awesome Days on Vision OTS! ~A Pictorial Review~

[renech]

We did have a great time! How was the FOS?

 

We had a great time. I posted some random observations and pictures in another thread. We love the Freedom, but you have me interested in trying this 10 day Vision class. I really want to do more Southern Caribbean.

[DarthGrady]

Random stuff that didn't really fit in anywhere:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DarthGrady]

Thats it folks! Feel free to ask any questions if I've missed something.

[pabi]

Thats it folks! Feel free to ask any questions if I've missed something.

No questions but big thanks sent your way. Amazing pictures, amazing review ...truly enjoyed reading your posts and looking at the pics. We are now looking forward to sail on VOS May 18 for the Norwegian Fjords and the TA ( after the refurshing dry dock time) on Oct. 28 from Lisbon. :)

[PCWalton1]

Thank you for warming up my cold Seattle days with your review. Much appreciated. :)

Bill

[Buffett fan]

I absolutely love all of your pictures so far...even your "artsy fartsy" ones! And I'm only on page 5 :D:p:)

[sailing lady]

How was the water from the sink in your room? Trying to decide if I should bring some bottled water aboard.

[lancelady]

I would bring water or get water from the WJ. The sink ran very-very slow in our cabin on deck 3 and I have never drank water from the sink in all of our 29 cruises.

Thanks to DarthGrady for this review we were on this same sailing and it was a great cruise with very friendly people. We also like this size of ship. Thanks for all the great photo's and review.

Wishing all of you a Happy New Year.

[mwne2nks]

Thanks for all the wonderful pictures!

[NemoCrownie]

WOW!!! The best review and the most fantastic pictures. Your pictures are breathtaking.

 

We are doing the 11day Legend in Feb 2014. We have only sailed out of San Juan and I made the decision for us and our cruising friends to try Legend out of Ft Lauderdale. Your review has made me more confident in my decision. Dominica is our favorite port so far, although we toured with Bumpiing. Your pictures brought back lovely memories. You really captured the best of St Kitts, too.

 

THANK YOU!!!

[DarthGrady]

How was the water from the sink in your room? Trying to decide if I should bring some bottled water aboard.

 

There are glasses in the room, I've drank the tap water many times without issues. Although I prefer to take a couple of glasses of water down to the room from the WJ so it has ice in it.

[Bargeo]

Great review and fantastic photos. Thanks again for easing my pain. Don't know if you mentioned what you were shooting with. DH (my camera buff) wants to know. The key to every good photo is composition, and yours are spot on. Great job!!!! Many thanks and blessings for the New Year.

[ks1k]

Great photos and report. Thanks:>

[Indiana Airhead]

Random stuff that didn't really fit in anywhere:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DarthGrady,

 

First, wonderful review. My wife and I have only been one one cruise - Liberty of the Seas (11/24/12). We are looking to another hopefully sometime soon. Questions regarding the picture above, where and when was this, was this event open to anyone? We really enjoyed the evening acivities on LOS, did this ship have several? I realize it will not have the 3D movie show, ice skating show or Broadway show. Could you give some input on what activities they offer nightly?

 

Many thanks.

[DarthGrady]

Great review and fantastic photos. Thanks again for easing my pain. Don't know if you mentioned what you were shooting with. DH (my camera buff) wants to know. The key to every good photo is composition, and yours are spot on. Great job!!!! Many thanks and blessings for the New Year.

 

Thanks, I've been reading a lot of online photo blogs trying to improve my shots.

 

The majority was shot with a Nikon D60, I got it about a month ago from a friend who was upgrading. It's my first DSLR, I'm really liking it.

 

I was mostly using the 18-55mm VR lens that came with it. I have a 55-200mm Tele that I rarely use only because I hate carrying extra stuff. So I think I'll be getting rid of both in favor of the 18-200mm VR, it's pricey, but it would be nice to only have one lens to deal with.

 

A few were with my Panasonic ZS10, I carry it in my pocket in the evenings when the big camera would look silly.

[Miss Vickie]

Thanks, I've been reading a lot of online photo blogs trying to improve my shots.

 

The majority was shot with a Nikon D60, I got it about a month ago from a friend who was upgrading. It's my first DSLR, I'm really liking it.

 

I was mostly using the 18-55mm VR lens that came with it. I have a 55-200mm Tele that I rarely use only because I hate carrying extra stuff. So I think I'll be getting rid of both in favor of the 18-200mm VR, it's pricey, but it would be nice to only have one lens to deal with.

 

A few were with my Panasonic ZS10, I carry it in my pocket in the evenings when the big camera would look silly.

 

Great job with the D60! I carried that for a couple of years, then upgraded to the D7000, which I love. My husband uses the D60 now. Check out the Tamron 18-270 - that's my walk-around lens, and I love it. Tamron makes an 18-200, too, I think. Which camera did you use for the night shots? And if the DSLR, do you remember how you had it set up? I'm struggling with my night shots.

 

I really enjoyed your review. We've been on a couple of Vision class ships, and our first foray into anything bigger than Radiance class is coming in under 2 weeks, on Adventure. We're back on Jewel for 2014, but may book Legend for 2015.

 

We've been to all the ports you went to many times, so looking at your pictures felt so familiar and fun. One note, they can actually handle 2 ships at once in Dominica - one at the main pier downtown, and one at a remote pier - we ended up there last January when P&O Azura was docked downtown and Serenade ended up on the remote pier.

Edited December 31, 2012 by jlmolner

[DarthGrady]

DarthGrady,

 

First, wonderful review. My wife and I have only been one one cruise - Liberty of the Seas (11/24/12). We are looking to another hopefully sometime soon. Questions regarding the picture above, where and when was this, was this event open to anyone? We really enjoyed the evening acivities on LOS, did this ship have several? I realize it will not have the 3D movie show, ice skating show or Broadway show. Could you give some input on what activities they offer nightly?

 

Many thanks.

 

That photo was taken at the top-tier Crown and Anchor event for Platinum guests and above.

 

They also had a similar party for all C&A members in the same lounge. I don't recall if food was served, but they had free drinks at both.

 

The evenings on board Vision will be a little slower paced than what you experienced on Libby. Your options will be the big show in the main theater, usually a musical or comedy act. They will have a piano player in the Schooner Bar, and live dance music in the atrium. They usually have karaoke in the Some Enchanted Evening lounge.

 

On a couple of nights there will be either a deck party around the pool, or a dance party in the atrium. There will be a cigar lounge in the library after 9, and the pools/hot tubs are open late as well.

 

The Viking Crown Lounge becomes the dance club (modern dance music) and they usually have drink specials up there after 11 PM to entice folks to come in. With it being an older crowd on the longer cruises, the dance club isn't heavily populated.

[cruisefromct]

Was on this cruise with you and enjoying your review. Didn't take many photos so very much appreciate that you posted so many.

 

Lisa

[DarthGrady]

Great job with the D60! I carried that for a couple of years, then upgraded to the D7000, which I love. My husband uses the D60 now. Check out the Tamron 18-270 - that's my walk-around lens, and I love it. Tamron makes an 18-200, too, I think. Which camera did you use for the night shots? And if the DSLR, do you remember how you had it set up? I'm struggling with my night shots.

 

I really enjoyed your review. We've been on a couple of Vision class ships, and our first foray into anything bigger than Radiance class is coming in under 2 weeks, on Adventure. We're back on Jewel for 2014, but may book Legend for 2015.

 

We've been to all the ports you went to many times, so looking at your pictures felt so familiar and fun. One note, they can actually handle 2 ships at once in Dominica - one at the main pier downtown, and one at a remote pier - we ended up there last January when P&O Azura was docked downtown and Serenade ended up on the remote pier.

 

Nice, the D7000 is what my friend upgraded to when she sold us the D60. Good advice about the Tamron, I'll look into that one.

 

The night shots were done with the D60 (using a tripod) with the 18-55 lens. I set it to Shutter Priority (S), and experimented with different exposure times. 10 seconds came out too bright, I found 6 seconds to be the sweet spot for the pool deck. I'm pretty sure the funnel was 4 seconds. The moonlight shots were about 8 seconds.

 

For all of them I used the self timer (at ten seconds) to eliminate any shake.

Edited December 31, 2012 by DarthGrady

[Miss Vickie]

Nice, the D7000 is what my friend upgraded to when she sold us the D60. Good advice about the Tamron, I'll look into that one.

 

The night shots were done with the D60 (using a tripod) with the 18-55 lens. I set it to Shutter Priority (S), and experimented with different exposure times. 10 seconds came out too bright, I found 6 seconds to be the sweet spot for the pool deck. I'm pretty sure the funnel was 4 seconds. The moonlight shots were about 8 seconds.

 

For all of them I used the self timer (at ten seconds) to eliminate any shake.

 

Thanks for the tips. I haven't broken down yet and carted the tripod with us. I may have to buy a gorillapod.

[erickg2004]

great review as I said earlier..

 

Is QUEST still going on? We like that activity and other ones like that..It's always very funny..

 

We are a couple in the late 30's for her and early 40's for me so we do like a little fun and laugh.

 

We sailed on CELEBRITY last year and it was a nice cruise but not really for our age group so this is why we are going bac for a 5th time on R.C.C.L

 

Thanks again for the nice pics and good tips.

[OKBrenda]

Wow, Grady, you really did do a fabulous job with the photos & cruise review! You were spot on with... well... everything! I had posted on the old thread but am thinking that noone is checking it anymore, so thought I'd give you kudo's here as well. :)

 

It was great cruising with you - hope to do it again sometime! Say hi to Beth for us!

[Darkwolfe]

Thanks for all of the pictures around the ship Grady! By the time we board the Christmas decorations will be gone, but that's ok! :)

 

I see I really need to catch a cruise that stops at St Kitts, very nice scenery there.

[DarthGrady]

Wow, Grady, you really did do a fabulous job with the photos & cruise review! You were spot on with... well... everything! I had posted on the old thread but am thinking that noone is checking it anymore, so thought I'd give you kudo's here as well. :)

 

It was great cruising with you - hope to do it again sometime! Say hi to Beth for us!

 

Thanks Brenda! We enjoyed cruising with you guys as well. Hopefully we can do it again sometime!:)

[DarthGrady]

great review as I said earlier..

 

Is QUEST still going on? We like that activity and other ones like that..It's always very funny..

 

We are a couple in the late 30's for her and early 40's for me so we do like a little fun and laugh.

 

We sailed on CELEBRITY last year and it was a nice cruise but not really for our age group so this is why we are going bac for a 5th time on R.C.C.L

 

Thanks again for the nice pics and good tips.

 

Yes, they did have Quest. We didn't go, so I can't remember exactly which night it was.