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Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: Cheryl Y. Foster
Email: cotagirl@aol.com
Age: 27
Occupation: Occupational therapist
NumberOfCruises: 6
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Vision
SailingDate: 3/3/99
Itinerary: Panama Canal
FoodDiningRoom: 99
CruiseDirector: 99
CabinComfort: 96
FoodRoomService: 97
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 92
FoodLidoDeck: 96
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 96
ShoreExcVariety: 99
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService: 92
ShoreExcValue: 93
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 94
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 96
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 98
BeautySalonStaff: 84
EntertainmentLounges: 86
WheelchairAccess: 95
ExerciseFacilities: 94
EntertShowLounge: 92
OverallPortsofCall: 96
BeautySalon: 87
EntertainmentPoolside: 94
CruiseActivities: 92
Casino: 94
AirSeaProgram: 98
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs: 94
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 16 Mar 1999
Time: 18:54:20
Remote Name: 214-114-88.ipt.aol.com
Remote User:
Comments
The Vision of the Seas is a beautifully decorated and extremely clean ship. The artwork
that decorates each deck
is wonderful. Overall, our dining experience was great. There were many different choices
of food on each dinner
menu. The quality of the food and the dining room service was exceptional. We chose the
second seating dinner,
and our waiter (Rajeev)was the best waiter we've had on any cruise. We ate our breakfast
and lunch meals in the
Windjammer Cafe. The food here was also very good, and there was usually a variety of food
to choose from at
both breakfast and lunch. Believe me, we had plenty of great food during our 10 days on
this ship!! We had an
inside cabin on deck 7, which was in a very good location on the ship. The inside rooms
are always fairly small, but
this room was comfortable and the two of us rarely felt crowded. I thought that the going
through the Panama
Canal was an exciting experience and a highlight of the cruise. We also visited several
ports (St. Thomas,
Curacao, and Costa Rica). Costa Rica is very beautiful and interesting. We took a great
excursion while there--the
Corobici river rafting tour. Overall, this was one of the best cruises that I have
experienced so far. I would
recommend this ship to anyone. However, for first-time cruisers, you may want to start
with just a 7 day cruise
instead of 10 days.
Name: angela mok
Email: amok62@hotmail.com
Age: 36
Occupation: pharmacy technician
NumberOfCruises: 12
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Vision
SailingDate: dec.09/98
Itinerary: panama canal
FoodDiningRoom: 75
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 89
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 89
CabinQuietness: 75
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 80
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 70
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 80
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 89
EntertShowLounge: 89
OverallPortsofCall: 75
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities:
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 70
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 89
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace:
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio: 89
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 29 Mar 1999
Time: 22:17:09
Remote Name: 207.230.238.218
Remote User:
Comments
My Mom & I sailed on the first ever Crown & Anchor Society cruise for past
passengers. Since it was the
pre-Christmas cruise, the ship was beautifully decorated with Christmas decorations. It
made the atmosphere very
festive. Since I am not a sports-minded person, most of the ship's activities did not
appeal to me. Thank goodness
for the daily trivia games & the ship shape programs. On this cruise, they only had
half a dozen movies repeating
over & over again. The cabin steward kept our cabin spic & span. However, I liked
to have the wastebasket under
the table where I could access it easily & he always moved it back under the dressing
table. I found a variety of
entertainment in the main show lounge. There was a pianist who had performed for the
United Nations. A violinist
from Poland. I enjoyed these performances immensely. However, I think it was too much
culture for some people,
as the theatre was half empty by the end of the performances. The 'las vegas-style revues'
performed by the Royal
Caribbean Wave Revue dancers were very well done. There was a wide variety of shore
excursions for all fitness
levels. The Willemstad Trolley tour in Curacao was the worst. You basically sat in the
trolley the whole time, not
being able to get down & tour any buildings. The Costa Rica tour to San Jose was the
best. It was a full-day tour.
We went to the National Arts Palace, had an authentic Costa Rican lunch at the Mariott
Hotel, went to Sarchi to buy
the hand-painted wooden handicrafts. Costa Rica is very lush & the weather is mild. A
welcome relief after a hot
day cruising through the Panama Canal. The cruise staff were very friendly. I felt right
at home with them, probably
because half of them were from Canada! Last but not least, the food: Apparently, the chef
was from Germany & he
had only joined the ship 3 months earlier. I found the food quite salty. Usually, there is
at least one entree that I
enjoy so much at lunch that I request to have it again at dinner. However, I did not find
it so this time. The dining
room service was just excellent. Our waiter, Daniel Loder, also served the Captain's
Table. However, there was one
incident with our Headwaiter, Jacquie, that I found upsetting. On this ship, they also
offer alternative dining. Every
evening from 6:30-9:30pm, you can go to the Windjammer Cafe for a casual dinner. No need
to dress up. My Mom
& I decided to go to the Windjammer Cafe on alternate evenings. We always informed our
waiter, Daniel, at
breakfast or lunch if we weren't coming to the dining room for dinner. About halfway
through the cruise, Jacquie
stopped at our table & exclaimed 'Oh, it's so good to have you back! The Windjammer's
nice but you should have
dinner in the dining room every night!' I just looked at her. The more I thought about
what she said, the more
annoyed I became. The next evening, I spoke with one of the other headwaiters & asked
him if the headwaiters
were concerned with whether the passengers ate in the dining room or not. He answered 'Oh,
yes. I have 2 cabins
I'm following up on after dinner.' He explained that the dining room is the main place for
dinner & that the
Windjammer Cafe is good if you don't want to dress up or don't want to sit through a 2
hour dinner, etc. I told him
that I had been offended by a comment that my headwaiter had made to me. He asked which
table number was
mine. On the last evening, tip night, Jacquie stopped at all the tables in her section
except ours. Why do they offer
alternative dining if they don't want people to use it?
Name: Vivian Pantelich
Email: viviansp@aol.com
Age: 36
Occupation: real estate agent
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Vision
SailingDate: february 10, 1999
Itinerary: san juan to acapulco
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 79
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 89
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 89
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 85
EntertainmentLounges: 93
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon: 95
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 09 Apr 1999
Time: 22:22:53
Remote Name: pool-207-205-173-194.snfr.grid.net
Remote User:
Comments
The Vision of the Seas is gorgeous from top to bottom. We found the boat and our cabin to
be spacious. There was always
somewhere we could go find some solitude. We splurged and got a cabin with a balcony and
it was worth every cent. We
especially enjoyed sitting outside during the canal transit and not having to jockey for
position with others at the rail. We
took our two year old and our three year old and the whole family enjoyed the trip. There
is a babysitting service on board
which we utilized everyday and it worked out great. The three year old really liked the
kids program. We saw a lot of marine
life from the ship including dolphins, sea turtles and flying fish. The food and service
in the dining room was excellent. The
food in the other restaurants was unexciting. All aspects of the onboard service was
excellent except in the shops where the
shopgirls seemed more interested in gossip than sales. Our room was very nicely appointed.
There was plenty of room in
the bathroom and the shower was set diagonally in the corner so you didn't feel
claustrophobic. The beds were very
comfortable. We could never hear the public announcements in the room. The room service
was slow, sometimes got the
orders wrong and the coffee from them was horrible. We never heard our neighbors although
I don't know if they could say
the same about us! Both my husband and I had several treatments at the spa. Beware of the
potions and lotions that they
try to sell you at the end. They are ridiculously expensive. Besides that, the massages
and facials and wraps were all
acceptable but enjoyed nevertheless! We took an excursion on each shore day. In St. Thomas
we went on the sea kayak
trip which we loved. The paddling was not hard and the guide stopped periodically to talk
about the marine sanctuary and
that gave us a chance to rest. On Curacao, we went snorkeling and enjoyed it also. In
Costa Rica, we went on the river
rafting trip. We found it to be fairly boring although we did get to see some monkeys and
other wildlife. It was very hot that
day. We did a pre cruise stay in San Juan Puerto Rico which we found to be perfectly
charming. We also did a post cruise at
the Hyatt in Acapulco. We enjoyed the city and the hotel. The hotel has a very nice pool
system and a great kids pool. The
breakfast buffet there was wonderful. Skip the free city tour in Acapulco if you can. It
ties you up all day and beyond the first
stop which is the cliff divers it consists mostly of uninteresting shopping stops where
they hold you hostage while you wither
from hunger. See the divers then grab a cab to your hotel. You won't be able to check in
but if you have your suit you can
lounge, swim and have lunch. Isn't that what Mexico's trips are for?
Name: Carolyn Herran
Email: cmh49@aol.com
Age: 48
Occupation: Retail clerk
NumberOfCruises: 6
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Vision
SailingDate: 3-13-99
Itinerary: Panama Canal
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 100
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 100
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess: 90
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 100
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 17 Apr 1999
Time: 17:44:20
Remote Name: spider-tp073.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:
Comments
This was the sixth cruise I've taken, the third with RCCL and this was my favorite cruise
by far. The ship was beautiful and
spacious. There were two swimming pools, one inside and one outside. The cabins on this
ship were roomy even though we
were on the lowest deck. There was even a love seat in the room. Since this cruise was for
11 days, it provided alot of sea
time which I enjoy. You could spend time at the pool reading and sunning yourself and
there were also a vast variety of
activities to keep you busy. We sailed from Acapulco to San Juan and stopped in four
ports, Costa Rica, Curacao, Aruba
and St. Thomas. The highlight of the cruise was sailing through the Panama Canal. There
were many tours offered in each
port, something to fit each age group. Our favorite tour was the river rafting down the
Corobici River in Costa Rica. There
was a good variety of entertainment in the Masquarade Lounge from singers, comedian,
magician and impressionist. The
only problem was that the theatre could not seat everyone that wanted to attend. In order
to get a seat, you had to stand in
line for about an hour prior to the start of the show. The Captain was very friendly and
even stopped to chat with my
husband while he was on deck reading a book in the sun. Since the majority of the people
on this ship were 60 and above,
there was not alot to do late at night. We went to the Disco twice and there were only a
handful of people there. I would
definitely recommend this cruise and the Vision of the Seas. You will not be disappointed.
Name: David Barnes
Email: djb@alum.mit.edu
Age: 32
Occupation: Electrical Engineer
NumberOfCruises: 9
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Vision
SailingDate: 4/14/99
Itinerary: Panama Canal
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 10
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 60
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 75
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 85
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff: 65
EntertainmentLounges: 20
WheelchairAccess: 95
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 50
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 100
CruiseActivities: 75
Casino: 70
AirSeaProgram: 60
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 70
DiscoNightclubs: 60
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 40
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 26 Apr 1999
Time: 09:08:17
Remote Name: neesgate.neesnet.com
Remote User:
Comments
This was our first cruise on Royal Caribbean. We've cruised on NCL (5) and Princess (3)
before. Overall, the cruise was
good. Compared with the other lines, we prefer NCL followed by Princess and then Royal
Caribbean. The food was
excellent, and the calypso band on the pool deck was the best we've ever had. The lounge
entertainment was more geared
to older passengers. The band which played in The Enchanted Evening Lounge was absolutely
awful. The more they
played, the fewer people stayed in the lounge. The disco was good the 1 evening that the
cruise staff managed to get
people up there - other times it was dead. We had looked forward to dancing on this
cruise, but every night (except for 1),
we were one of the only people in the disco. We've been on cruises with much older
passengers (Alaska and Norway), but
have never been on a ship with such a dead nightlife.
Royal Caribbean is much less organized than either NCL or Princess. Despite cruising 8
times before, there were multiple
times that we weren't sure what to do. For example, when arriving on the ship, nobody told
us how to get our cabin key (you
have to go somewhere on the ship to get the key). Nobody ever told us where to disembark
at each port (deck and location),
nobody told us that our custom forms were due until after they were already late, nobody
ever explained the shipshape
dollars program, and there was an amazing amount of confusion leaving the ship on the
final day concerning where to claim
luggage. The greatest amount of disorganization was exhibited during activities such as
golf, ping-pong, etc. It was as if the
staff had never arranged a cruise before. We also expected to receive much more info on
the Panama Canal than we did.
All Royal offered was a single 40-minute talk (not a good one either) on the canal the day
before we got there. This
surprised us - expecially after the amount of information that NCL gave us when we cruised
to Norway two years ago.
Royal also has a much weaker cruise staff than the other lines. We never met our entire
staff until the last day, and few of
them ever showed up at any activities. The staff was much like a dysfunctional family -
some even outwardly expressed
dissatisfaction with the cruise line. We don't know how their staffs are on other ships,
but this ship had the worst overall staff
of any we've sailed on.
Overall, the cruise was a good vacation, but Royal Caribbean definitely did not impress us
like we had thought it would.
While we may cruise with them again someday, our preferred choice will be NCL.
ps: anyone who flies home from Acapulco should be fore-warned that this airport is a
complete mess. We have never
experienced anything close to the mayhem that occurred in that airport. We have vowed
never to fly in or out of Acapulco
again. Everyone we spoke with said the same thing.
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