Live - One Way Voyage(r), Boston to San Juan 10/30

[Momof3gurlz]

As promised, here’s my summary of the cruise.  In a word, EXCELLENT!  We really enjoyed the repositioning aspect and I’m going to actively search for these going forward.  For us, leaving out of Boston (or even a repo back to Boston) was so convenient. I really wish Royal offered more options from this port.  I’m going to break this up into categories. 
 

The Ship - knowing the age of Voyager and based only on my recollection of Explorer’s old teal decor, I was a little worried the ship would feel dated.  This was completely unfounded.  We thought the ship was in beautiful shape, seemed very up to date and was exceptionally clean. We also loved the size of the ship and its classic lines and features. As an example, these two pictures of an empty schooner bar.  I love the round windows where you can look out at the sea, not to mention the outside promenade deck. 

 

 

The Crew - overall very good and unfailingly friendly.  Without exception, all were wearing KN95 masks, even outside on the pool deck, until about mid-week when it became optional. 
Our room steward wasn’t the greatest. He was very friendly, just a little forgetful.  He would refill the ice bucket for my wine bottles every day but never remembered a wine glass.  I took to just grabbing one from a bar.  I know, first world problems, right?  Also, our towel refreshment was always a guessing game.  Some days 2 hand towel and 3 washcloths, another day no washcloths and 1 hand towel 🤷🏻‍♀️.  We started just disassembling the towel animals to get what we needed.  
The one thing that really annoyed me is the washy-washy lady at the WJ entrance.  Her speel was non stop, even directing people to the sinks on either side of the entrance, but there was no enforcement.  So many people just ignored her and walked right in, and she let them. 

There did seem to be some inconsistency with bar servers on the pool deck.  There were a couple out in the mornings who were excellent (you know the type, they remember your drink order from the day before), but they disappeared in the afternoon, I’m guessing to other duties.  Some of the other servers appeared to be new - kind of wandering around with that deer in the headlights look.  
I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I can’t say enough good things about the staff at the R Bar.  Just amazing camaraderie and excellent service.  They were A.J., Romulo, Bradley and Manan.  I believe Manan was a manager as he wore the black shirt & black pants while the others wore white shirts & gold vests, but he was in there working and joking around with them & the patrons every night.  
The Food - we found it to be very, very good.  We didn’t have a bad dish in the MDR. My only complaint about the MDR is long wait times between courses.  We stuck to the WJ for breakfast & lunch.  I can’t say a lot about breakfast because mine usually consists of fresh fruit and those little round cinnamon rolls.  There was good variety at lunch. The usual hamburgers, hot dogs, breads, deli station and salad bar but also something different every day.  For example, a carving station, sweet & sour pork, paella, roasted chicken, beef stroganoff.  There were a few Indian dishes but I didn’t pay much attention because we don’t care for it.  And of course our meal at Giovanni’s was excellent.  Pizza from Cafe Promenade made for an okay afternoon snack but my favorite item there was a Greek salad wrap that I’m going to try to recreate.  

Our Cabin - we were very happy with our Jr Suite.  For just the two of us, way more storage than we needed.  We loved the privacy that the enclosed balcony provided and I loved how the wide, wide sliding doors brightened up the room.  
I will say there was a bit (and I mean a very little bit) of rust in the nooks and crannies of the balcony but that type of thing doesn’t bother us.  Around day 5 we noticed the room feeling very warm, even with the AC at the coolest setting.  We reported to Guest Services before dinner and by the time we got back to the cabin a few hours later it was working just fine.  And they followed up with a phone call the next day to make sure it was working.  
I would book this category again for the right price, but don’t feel it’s necessary for just the two of us.  
 

Entertainment - for us, this was the only area lacking.  But as I type that, I realize this is just for OUR taste.  There was live music most nights in either the Star Lounge or High Notes up in the Viking Crown Lounge area.  Problem is, by that time we were already settled in at the R Bar (have I mentioned how much we liked it 😂) with the regular crowd.  The one I will comment on is the piano bar guy, Juan, in the Schooner Bar at night.  Just our opinion but we thought he was awful.  We didn’t attend any shows, we’re boring like that.  So for me to say it was lacking isn’t a fair assessment.  I guess what I mean is it would’ve been nice to have some music at the R Bar.  We were not the only ones who thought this, one of the regulars brought a little blue tooth speaker one night and it was great.  One lady did a knockout karaoke version of Son of a Preacher Man, the bartenders were singing.  Just great fun.  
So that’s about it.  I’ve enjoyed doing this but it’s a lot of work, I’m not sure I’ll do another.  Our next cruise is at the end of January in NCL.  I might just post a few things about it over on Dani’s thread.  Then the Bella cruise in March which I’m hoping we will have one combined thread we can all contribute to.  
Thanks for following along!  Now I need to catch up over at “Dani’s house” 🙂

 

[Ozark_Kid]

That was a great summary Deb.  And great pics of the Schooner Bar.  I don't think some realize how challenging it is to do a live review.   There is a lot to deal with and can take away a little from the cruise.   I know that it is appreciated especially from those we have become friends with on "the threads".  Thanks again for sharing.  Glad you and Andy had a great time.

[jmklade]

3 hours ago, Momof3gurlz said:

As promised, here’s my summary of the cruise.  In a word, EXCELLENT!  We really enjoyed the repositioning aspect and I’m going to actively search for these going forward.  For us, leaving out of Boston (or even a repo back to Boston) was so convenient. I really wish Royal offered more options from this port.  I’m going to break this up into categories. 
 

The Ship - knowing the age of Voyager and based only on my recollection of Explorer’s old teal decor, I was a little worried the ship would feel dated.  This was completely unfounded.  We thought the ship was in beautiful shape, seemed very up to date and was exceptionally clean. We also loved the size of the ship and its classic lines and features. As an example, these two pictures of an empty schooner bar.  I love the round windows where you can look out at the sea, not to mention the outside promenade deck. 

 

 

The Crew - overall very good and unfailingly friendly.  Without exception, all were wearing KN95 masks, even outside on the pool deck, until about mid-week when it became optional. 
Our room steward wasn’t the greatest. He was very friendly, just a little forgetful.  He would refill the ice bucket for my wine bottles every day but never remembered a wine glass.  I took to just grabbing one from a bar.  I know, first world problems, right?  Also, our towel refreshment was always a guessing game.  Some days 2 hand towel and 3 washcloths, another day no washcloths and 1 hand towel 🤷🏻‍♀️.  We started just disassembling the towel animals to get what we needed.  
The one thing that really annoyed me is the washy-washy lady at the WJ entrance.  Her speel was non stop, even directing people to the sinks on either side of the entrance, but there was no enforcement.  So many people just ignored her and walked right in, and she let them. 

There did seem to be some inconsistency with bar servers on the pool deck.  There were a couple out in the mornings who were excellent (you know the type, they remember your drink order from the day before), but they disappeared in the afternoon, I’m guessing to other duties.  Some of the other servers appeared to be new - kind of wandering around with that deer in the headlights look.  
I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I can’t say enough good things about the staff at the R Bar.  Just amazing camaraderie and excellent service.  They were A.J., Romulo, Bradley and Manan.  I believe Manan was a manager as he wore the black shirt & black pants while the others wore white shirts & gold vests, but he was in there working and joking around with them & the patrons every night.  
The Food - we found it to be very, very good.  We didn’t have a bad dish in the MDR. My only complaint about the MDR is long wait times between courses.  We stuck to the WJ for breakfast & lunch.  I can’t say a lot about breakfast because mine usually consists of fresh fruit and those little round cinnamon rolls.  There was good variety at lunch. The usual hamburgers, hot dogs, breads, deli station and salad bar but also something different every day.  For example, a carving station, sweet & sour pork, paella, roasted chicken, beef stroganoff.  There were a few Indian dishes but I didn’t pay much attention because we don’t care for it.  And of course our meal at Giovanni’s was excellent.  Pizza from Cafe Promenade made for an okay afternoon snack but my favorite item there was a Greek salad wrap that I’m going to try to recreate.  

Our Cabin - we were very happy with our Jr Suite.  For just the two of us, way more storage than we needed.  We loved the privacy that the enclosed balcony provided and I loved how the wide, wide sliding doors brightened up the room.  
I will say there was a bit (and I mean a very little bit) of rust in the nooks and crannies of the balcony but that type of thing doesn’t bother us.  Around day 5 we noticed the room feeling very warm, even with the AC at the coolest setting.  We reported to Guest Services before dinner and by the time we got back to the cabin a few hours later it was working just fine.  And they followed up with a phone call the next day to make sure it was working.  
I would book this category again for the right price, but don’t feel it’s necessary for just the two of us.  
 

Entertainment - for us, this was the only area lacking.  But as I type that, I realize this is just for OUR taste.  There was live music most nights in either the Star Lounge or High Notes up in the Viking Crown Lounge area.  Problem is, by that time we were already settled in at the R Bar (have I mentioned how much we liked it 😂) with the regular crowd.  The one I will comment on is the piano bar guy, Juan, in the Schooner Bar at night.  Just our opinion but we thought he was awful.  We didn’t attend any shows, we’re boring like that.  So for me to say it was lacking isn’t a fair assessment.  I guess what I mean is it would’ve been nice to have some music at the R Bar.  We were not the only ones who thought this, one of the regulars brought a little blue tooth speaker one night and it was great.  One lady did a knockout karaoke version of Son of a Preacher Man, the bartenders were singing.  Just great fun.  
So that’s about it.  I’ve enjoyed doing this but it’s a lot of work, I’m not sure I’ll do another.  Our next cruise is at the end of January in NCL.  I might just post a few things about it over on Dani’s thread.  Then the Bella cruise in March which I’m hoping we will have one combined thread we can all contribute to.  
Thanks for following along!  Now I need to catch up over at “Dani’s house” 🙂

 

Great review and thank you for the time you invested.  I am more of a "lurker" on this site rather than a poster, but I do sincerely appreciate the good reviews all of you provide.

[bobmacliberty]

Thanks for a great review Deb!  I love it when you find a bar with friendly bartenders and fun people who you get to know.  It makes it feel more like a neighborhood pub (Norm!).  Good to hear that Explorer is still in good shape.  I really like the look of the Schooner Bars on the V/F class.  Glad you made it home in one piece.  

[Ocean Boy]

Nice summary. It makes such a difference when you can connect with the bartenders in a lounge. I had that experience on my last two cruises on Allure in the Champagne Bar. It brings the experience to a much higher level.

 

Thanks again and welcome home!

 

[Momof3gurlz]

5 hours ago, bobmacliberty said:

Thanks for a great review Deb!  I love it when you find a bar with friendly bartenders and fun people who you get to know.  It makes it feel more like a neighborhood pub (Norm!).  Good to hear that Explorer is still in good shape.  I really like the look of the Schooner Bars on the V/F class.  Glad you made it home in one piece.  

 

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

Nice summary. It makes such a difference when you can connect with the bartenders in a lounge. I had that experience on my last two cruises on Allure in the Champagne Bar. It brings the experience to a much higher level.

 

Thanks again and welcome home!

 

What does it say about us that the bar experience makes such a difference  in the cruise 🤣?!

[Ocean Boy]

8 minutes ago, Momof3gurlz said:

 

What does it say about us that the bar experience makes such a difference  in the cruise 🤣?!

It says that connecting other other people who have had very different life experiences from our own is very important to us?😇

[flamingos]

17 hours ago, Momof3gurlz said:

I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I can’t say enough good things about the staff at the R Bar.  Just amazing camaraderie and excellent service.  They were A.J., Romulo, Bradley and Manan.  I believe Manan was a manager as he wore the black shirt & black pants while the others wore white shirts & gold vests, but he was in there working and joking around with them & the patrons every night.  

 

AJ was a hoot - he joined the ship during our cruise and was so happy to be there!   The whole team meshed well, and worked around each other in the small space behind the bar.  We never tired of watching them work - helping each other, dancing around each other to get to something on the other side.  We left a great review and left a very nice tip.

 

I'm glad you had a good cruise. 

[bobmacliberty]

10 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

It says that connecting other other people who have had very different life experiences from our own is very important to us?😇

 

I was going to say that it says we like to have fun, but I'll go with OB's answer instead.  Makes us look better.

[ClemsonTiger96]

I can’t believe your cruise is over already! It seems like it just started. I really enjoyed your review and pictures. Like you mentioned, I love the older ships with the round windows in the schooner bar, the Viking Crown lounge, and other aspects of the ship. I also enjoyed your feedback on Puerto Plata. I’ve never been there before, but will be in May, and have heard mixed reviews. I guess we’ll get off and walk around, but I’m not expecting too much. Thanks for the review! 

[Momof3gurlz]

2 hours ago, flamingos said:

 

AJ was a hoot - he joined the ship during our cruise and was so happy to be there!   The whole team meshed well, and worked around each other in the small space behind the bar.  We never tired of watching them work - helping each other, dancing around each other to get to something on the other side.  We left a great review and left a very nice tip.

 

I'm glad you had a good cruise. 

Interesting that AJ was a more recent addition, they worked together like they’ve been doing it for years.  And as you said, in a very small space.  Manan & Bradley said they’ve had offers to move to the bigger ships like Wonder and Ovation for their next contract but they weren’t going to take the offers. Both prefer the smaller ships.  When asked why, they said “too many people” and the ships are so big that when they get their break, just walking to the crew area takes up half the break.  

[grapau27]

On 11/8/2022 at 5:24 PM, Momof3gurlz said:

As promised, here’s my summary of the cruise.  In a word, EXCELLENT!  We really enjoyed the repositioning aspect and I’m going to actively search for these going forward.  For us, leaving out of Boston (or even a repo back to Boston) was so convenient. I really wish Royal offered more options from this port.  I’m going to break this up into categories. 
 

The Ship - knowing the age of Voyager and based only on my recollection of Explorer’s old teal decor, I was a little worried the ship would feel dated.  This was completely unfounded.  We thought the ship was in beautiful shape, seemed very up to date and was exceptionally clean. We also loved the size of the ship and its classic lines and features. As an example, these two pictures of an empty schooner bar.  I love the round windows where you can look out at the sea, not to mention the outside promenade deck. 

 

 

The Crew - overall very good and unfailingly friendly.  Without exception, all were wearing KN95 masks, even outside on the pool deck, until about mid-week when it became optional. 
Our room steward wasn’t the greatest. He was very friendly, just a little forgetful.  He would refill the ice bucket for my wine bottles every day but never remembered a wine glass.  I took to just grabbing one from a bar.  I know, first world problems, right?  Also, our towel refreshment was always a guessing game.  Some days 2 hand towel and 3 washcloths, another day no washcloths and 1 hand towel 🤷🏻‍♀️.  We started just disassembling the towel animals to get what we needed.  
The one thing that really annoyed me is the washy-washy lady at the WJ entrance.  Her speel was non stop, even directing people to the sinks on either side of the entrance, but there was no enforcement.  So many people just ignored her and walked right in, and she let them. 

There did seem to be some inconsistency with bar servers on the pool deck.  There were a couple out in the mornings who were excellent (you know the type, they remember your drink order from the day before), but they disappeared in the afternoon, I’m guessing to other duties.  Some of the other servers appeared to be new - kind of wandering around with that deer in the headlights look.  
I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I can’t say enough good things about the staff at the R Bar.  Just amazing camaraderie and excellent service.  They were A.J., Romulo, Bradley and Manan.  I believe Manan was a manager as he wore the black shirt & black pants while the others wore white shirts & gold vests, but he was in there working and joking around with them & the patrons every night.  
The Food - we found it to be very, very good.  We didn’t have a bad dish in the MDR. My only complaint about the MDR is long wait times between courses.  We stuck to the WJ for breakfast & lunch.  I can’t say a lot about breakfast because mine usually consists of fresh fruit and those little round cinnamon rolls.  There was good variety at lunch. The usual hamburgers, hot dogs, breads, deli station and salad bar but also something different every day.  For example, a carving station, sweet & sour pork, paella, roasted chicken, beef stroganoff.  There were a few Indian dishes but I didn’t pay much attention because we don’t care for it.  And of course our meal at Giovanni’s was excellent.  Pizza from Cafe Promenade made for an okay afternoon snack but my favorite item there was a Greek salad wrap that I’m going to try to recreate.  

Our Cabin - we were very happy with our Jr Suite.  For just the two of us, way more storage than we needed.  We loved the privacy that the enclosed balcony provided and I loved how the wide, wide sliding doors brightened up the room.  
I will say there was a bit (and I mean a very little bit) of rust in the nooks and crannies of the balcony but that type of thing doesn’t bother us.  Around day 5 we noticed the room feeling very warm, even with the AC at the coolest setting.  We reported to Guest Services before dinner and by the time we got back to the cabin a few hours later it was working just fine.  And they followed up with a phone call the next day to make sure it was working.  
I would book this category again for the right price, but don’t feel it’s necessary for just the two of us.  
 

Entertainment - for us, this was the only area lacking.  But as I type that, I realize this is just for OUR taste.  There was live music most nights in either the Star Lounge or High Notes up in the Viking Crown Lounge area.  Problem is, by that time we were already settled in at the R Bar (have I mentioned how much we liked it 😂) with the regular crowd.  The one I will comment on is the piano bar guy, Juan, in the Schooner Bar at night.  Just our opinion but we thought he was awful.  We didn’t attend any shows, we’re boring like that.  So for me to say it was lacking isn’t a fair assessment.  I guess what I mean is it would’ve been nice to have some music at the R Bar.  We were not the only ones who thought this, one of the regulars brought a little blue tooth speaker one night and it was great.  One lady did a knockout karaoke version of Son of a Preacher Man, the bartenders were singing.  Just great fun.  
So that’s about it.  I’ve enjoyed doing this but it’s a lot of work, I’m not sure I’ll do another.  Our next cruise is at the end of January in NCL.  I might just post a few things about it over on Dani’s thread.  Then the Bella cruise in March which I’m hoping we will have one combined thread we can all contribute to.  
Thanks for following along!  Now I need to catch up over at “Dani’s house” 🙂

 

Excellent review and lovely photos Debbie.