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Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: John Davies
Email: rjpg_beatles2000@yahoo.com
Age: 39
Occupation: Govrnment
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Voyager
SailingDate: December 5th -12th
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
Cabin: 3600 & 8262
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 88
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 89
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland: 70
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 75
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 78
CruiseActivities: 75
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 89
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 88
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 89
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 29 Dec 1999
Time: 14:21:26
Remote Name: nyfw.ang.af.mil
Remote User:
Comments
This was my first cruise with Royal Caribbean. My previous four cruises were all with
Carnival so I was looking forward to
having something else to compare them with. Having cruised on Carnival's Destiny, which
was the largest passenger ship at
the time, my friends and I were eager to book on Voyager once news of this ship came out
and we booked on the third
sailing.
The ship itself is wonderful and is quite an attraction. A week is not long enough to
experience all this ship has to offer. If
you've already visited the ports of call on this ship's intinerary don't let that stop you
from sailing on her for the ship is the
attraction here and you'll find plenty to keep you busy right on board.
The term all inclusive does not apply on this ship and is probably becoming the trend
industry wide, unfortunately. There's
plenty to do on this ship but you're going to have to pay for it if you wish to indulge.
There are charges for use of the Rock
Climbing Wall, Ice Skating Rink, Minature Golf, In Line Skating Track, Golf Simulator
(which broke down after the first couple
of days and remained out of service for the duration of the cruise) and for equipment at
Royal Caribbean's private beach -
floating mats, etc... For an individual the charges probably wouldn't be a big deal but
for a family with kids, who are going to
want to do all this stuff, these charges can add up during a week long trip. Is it Royal
Caribbean's plan to nickle and dime it's
passengers to death in order to pay for this magnificant ship? And it doesn't stop there.
Want to enjoy a meal at Johnny
Rockets? Get your supercharge card out. The food was free on our cruise (except for the
milk shakes, which were
excellent) but we were told that beginning January 1st they would be charging for all food
at this establishment. That should
take care of the lines to get in, anyway. If you want a burger get one for 'free' at the
Windjammer or Island Grill. If you really
want a milk shake then check this place out.
The cabins are certainly smaller on this ship then on any of the Carnival ships I've been
on but they're nicely designed,
decorated and functional. I read another review here that stated that the showers were
bigger on this ship then on other
RCCL ships. I can't imagine the showers being any smaller than they are on this ship but
again, they are functional. Our
cabin (3600) was an outside cabin in a small isolated hallway near Studio-B. There were
only ten cabins in this hallway
which kept it quite and we enjoyed it except that there was something leaking into the
room that was keeping the rug wet
near the cabin door and created a musty stale smell in the cabin. After two days of
shampooing and attempts to dry the
carpeting we were moved up to the 8th deck and got a room with a balcony. That was a nice
up-grade. The cabin stewards
were rarely seen and didn't leave any 'creations' for us but eveything was always taken
care of - requests for extra towels,
etc...
The dining room is a highlight and we didn't have singing waiters either, which was fine
with me. Our servers were fun and
everyone at our table had a good time each evening. I never had breakfast in the dining
room, opting for the Windjammer's
buffet instead, but from those that did, I was told that the food was the exact same stuff
from the buffet only it took longer to
get served and was usually cold or getting that way. The best meal I had on the ship,
however, was a lunch I had in the
dining room - yankee potroast - so maybe lunch in the dining room is a good alternative.
The deck space on the ship is ample. It was never difficult to find a deck chair and
they're all over the place. The layout on
the Destiny was terrible and cramped and if you weren't up by 8:00am to grab a chair you
probably weren't going to get
one, not in the pool area anyway. Some other nice touches on Voyager are access to the bow
- Yes, you can do your 'King
of the world' imitation, and the 'peek-a-boo' bridge, where you can view the bridge 24
hours a day and they even have
readouts of the instruments on display, too. The Royal Promanade is a great gathering
place and a big draw for
passengers. If you want to see any of the parades that usually run through there between
10:00 - 11:00pm, get there early
or grab a high viewing spot. It gets very crowded there. There's ice cream available
there, too, 24 hours a day but it isn't
very good. Come on Royal Carribbean, break out the good stuff! The 24 hour Cafe, also
located there, is a good option for
late night pizza and other snacks. Spinners, an interactive roulette wheel, is also
located here and was usually near empty
and often was having maintenance performed on it. Don't look for this feature on Voyager's
sister ship when it comes out, I
don't think RCCL is very happy with it. The Pig and Whistle and a sports bar are also here
and are good places to meet
friends and enjoy a drink. The jazz bar and the 19th Hole (located in a different area of
the ship) are also nice places to go
if you're looking for some place a little quieter.
The age of passengers on this ship was definitely on the older side. There weren't to many
single people under 40. Royal
Caribbean's singles party, held on the first night for 30 minutes(!) in a small bar with
no ice breaker games or anything, tells
me this maybe normal for RCCL (?). Carnival definitely gets the nod here. If you're on the
younger side of life you'll
probably have the ship to yourself after about 11:00pm.
I also liked the interactive features of the TV in the cabin. You can book your excursions
and even check the balance on
your Supercharge account.
The ice skating show is also another highlight and shouldn't be missed. They run the same
show several times during the
week to allow eveyone a chance to see it since Studio-B, where the rink is located, has
limited seating.
We had a few 'ruff seas' days and, although this ship is big, the sea will still let you
know who's boss. We also, like other
reviewers here, felt the ship shutter ( a lot ) when those azi-pod things were being used
and there were some days where
the wind up on deck was overbearing - minature golf was free that day because your ball
would just blow where ever the
wind wanted it to go.
It's a great ship and I would certainly recommend it and I would sail again with RCCL but
if a little more action or excitement
is what you're after, then check out Carnival.
Name: Kim & Cary Boyko
Email: kimncary@yahoo.com
Age: 26 & 41
Occupation: finance
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Voyager
SailingDate: December 26, 1999 - January 2, 2000
Itinerary: Labadee/Ocho Rios/Nassau
Cabin: 7367N
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 70
FoodMidnightBuffets: 40
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 100
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 85
GoodForFamilies: 100
LoungeService:
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 100
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess: 100
ExerciseFacilities: 100
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 80
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs: 100
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 06 Jan 2000
Time: 13:37:24
Remote Name: kccfpxy2.att.com
Remote User:
Comments
This was me and my husband's first cruise. Voyager is definitely a camcorder kind of ship.
. .
pictures alone will not capture the beauty of it.
Embarkment/Disembarkment: Getting on the ship was a breeze. We were on in about 15 minutes
and had our luggage within the hour. We boarded at noon even though the ship wasn't due to
sail
until 5:00. The experience was very pleasant. Getting off the ship was a nightmare. The
night
before, you were given luggage tags that were color coded. The morning of departure from
the
boat you had to make sure to get to breakfast early because all the restaurants close at
8am. You
also had to vacate your cabin by 8am. This leaves you with absolutely nothing to do from
8am until
they dismiss you from the boat by the color of the tags you had received. We were
dismissed after
11 am. It was awful.
Cabins: We had "run-of-ship" which meant that we would get the best available
cabin a week prior
to sailing. We were on deck 7 near the rear of the boat in an inside cabin. I have nothing
to
compare it to, but the room was so small. If you were going to get something out of the
closet, the
other person could not open the bathroom door. There was, however adequate space for all
your
belongings and the beds were so very comfortable. The decor was done in neutral colors and
it
was very lovely. We did get an awful lot of shaking and vibrations and noise when the boat
turned
though.
Food: The food was very good in the diningroom most nights. We were seated with 2 other
couples who did not have children with them and we had all wanted the 8pm seating. We all
got
stuck with the 6 pm seating because the cruise was sold out and everybody wants the later
seating. There was one night where nobody liked the selections on the menu. The
"lobster night"
was not that great. . . the lobster was small and dry. Overall, the rest of the menu
selections were
very, very good. We were highly disappointed in the midnight buffet though. They had only
one
midnight buffet and it was nothing to write home about. I had no desire to take pictures
of the food
or to tell anyone about it for that matter. The waiters did sing on this cruise which was
amusing.
Staff: Our cabin steward, Myra, was wonderful. She had a pleasant personality and was
extremely
helpful. She always seemed to be there when we needed her. The waiters were wonderful as
well.
We were seated in the Magic Flute at table 515. The deck service was equally as good. They
were
not over friendly, but they were very professional.
Entertainment: The La Scala theater put on some very good shows such as
"Dreamscape" and
some not so very good shows such as the Broadway one they did. I can't remember the name
of it,
but they combined a whole bunch of broadway tunes and modernized them. It wasn't that
great.
The guest celebrity on the last night was comedian, Rita Rudner. She was great. The Royal
Promenade had several parades during the cruise but I personally had more fun watching the
Newlywed/Not so Newlywed Game in Studio B.
Medical Facilities: Even though we experienced no bad weather on our cruise, I became
seasick
one night as we were getting ready for dinner. For those who have never been seasick, it
is NOT
fun! I put on my wristbands which did not help, so we went to the medical facility. They
gave me a
wonderful pill called "Bonine" which you can buy over the counter at any
pharmacy. It is chewable
and lasts 24 hours. It has practically no side effects and works within 20 minutes.
However, my
husband came down with a stomach bug and needed to see someone in the evening. They
wanted to charge us $45.00 for a consultation, so we just let it ride itself out.
Pools: The pools were very nice, but we had heard that there was a nude sunbathing area
(St.
Tropez) and wanted to indulge while we were there. Since this area was not clearly marked,
nobody was aware of this being an "adult only" area. There were plenty of
chairs, but the staff was
not very good about taking the old towels off of the chairs not being used during the day.
Sometimes we had a hard time finding a chair even if nobody was sitting in one because
they had
left their towels in the chairs.
Overall: Overall, the ship was georgeous, the food was good, the entertainment was good
& we
enjoyed ourselves. We had a wonderful time on our cruise and we look forward to the two
sister
ships being completed so we can book another cruise with RCCL. What a way to ring in the
Millennium!
Please contact me if you have any questions.
Name: Sherry Gainer
Email: tpgslg@gdi.net
Age: 27
Occupation: artist/ tour guide
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Voyager
SailingDate: 12-19-99
Itinerary: labadee, Ochos Rios, Cozomel
Cabin: Cat. TR, #6563
FoodDiningRoom: 97
CruiseDirector: 98
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 98
CabinAmenities: 97
FoodLidoDeck: 98
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 85
GoodForFamilies: 50
LoungeService: 98
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 100
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 98
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 98
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 50
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard: 98
SpaceRatio: 99
OverallCruiseValue: 96
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 07 Jan 2000
Time: 08:37:59
Remote Name: 209-26-54-012.noc-pop.gdi.net
Remote User:
Comments
We began our Christmas cruise by discovering that you have to pay for deck parking at
Miami Port
in cash and upfront. We had to leave the port area, find an ATM, and return. Then the
elevators in
the deck didn't work. We lugged our luggage down two flights of stairs. We entered the
port
building where none of the staff helped or commented that we could use the sidewalk
baggage
handlers until we were on the second floor. We returned outside to the curb where the
handlers
were and checked in 2 larger bags. The fellow who "helped" us said if we like to
tip the handlers
we should do so now. We did not. He was extremely rude. Once inside the terminal, we
filled out
the proper forms and received our cruise cards (approx. 10-min.), allowing for entry onto
the ship.
They never checked our documents but I had everything you could imagine to prove our
identity
just in case. We entered the ship after dodging the photographers. It was very nice with
lots of
polished brass, aquarium, and rugs in the elevators with the day printed on them for when
you
forget! We were kindly told where our room was, deck 6. We had a TR category room, a new
thing
for the cruise industry. An inside cabin with a view thanks to a bay window and the huge
promenade shopping area. Almost nightly, there were parades, carolers, you name it
performing
there...so we had a ringside seat for it all. The room was comfortable; the colors very
relaxing and
well designed other than a few things. The refrigerator is nothing but a sensor controlled
wet bar.
There was only a small clock onthe phone, very hard to see or find. The light for the
bathroom was
opposite the way you opened the door. Many times you would walk in to find your self in
the dark,
go out, close the door, and then you could reach the light switch. There was a digital
safe and a
TV with remote. We put away our things where we could. The closest was spacious but had
too
few hangers. Same for drawers.
During the next week, we discovered that there were 750 children on board. The first day
was all
right, after that the little hooligans ran around screaming, barefoot, etc. RCCL has
walky-talkies
that parents can rent. The parents would give the child one and turn them loose. By the
end of the
cruise, I noticed many children unproperly dressed for meals in either dining room (the
rules were
obviously displayed at the entrance), playing 'elevator tag', missing signage from the
decks, etc.
One day there was even feces on the pool deck, to which we refereed to as the poop deck
for the
rest of the cruise. I will never take another cruise again with so many children. I think
RCCL had
too many for there children’s program to handle. Not that the parents were any
better. During one
evening show in the theatre, guests kept coming in up to 30 minutes into the show with
glow sticks,
loud children, you name it. One lady walked to the front, back again to wave her
embarrassed
family on and back to the front before seating herself! We watched all our shows from the
second
balcony thereafter, quietly and undisturbed. As for the shows, they were excellent.
Wonderful
talent onboard. However during the second show of Dreamscapes (an incredible show!), the
stage
was stuck so no scenery after halfway through the show. Scenes were cut to hasten the
performance. I felt bad for the performers. Ice jammin'( the ice skating show on deck 4)
was great.
Very funny and visually wonderful. The promenade was lovely, decorated with many Christmas
trees, wreaths, and garlands. The shops were nice enough, however when I went to have my
watched resized, the gentleman was rather rude to me. He was grouchy about working on
Christmas. I say then don't work on a cruise ship! I had to work every holiday all year to
get
Christmas off (theme park tour guide) so there was no pity from my position. Otherwise, I
received
my watch properly fitted four hours later, quick recovery! We went to art auctions (prints
and lots
of champagne), bingo (we won $85), the library (good selection of books), and the game
room
(dominos, cards, etc). Every room was unique and we never felt crowded. The boat was full
(3,100
plus) and we never waited in line more than 10 minutes! Even for tender service.
The food was quite good, however on Caribbean night, we expected some spicy stuff. It
turned out
to be a bit bland. Our waiter, KJ was incredible, always with a twinkle in his eye and
very gracious.
The food always brought hot and with a chef’s touch as far as the sauces and
compliments go.
The tomato and pumpkin soups are incredible! Dining in the casual area was also very nice.
We
had breakfast at the Windjammer cafe each morning with a view of the water, couldn’t
be beat.
There was always somewhere to eat every hour of the day.
Our cabin steward, Robert, was always kind and greeted us each day. He got a safety pin
for me
in less than a minute one night! His towel animals became one of the highlights of my
evenings,
going back to the room to see what he'd made. The last night we received, along with two
kissing
swan towel animals, a large blue box. It contained a heavy engraved glass frame for a 5x7
picture.
Our present from RCCL, very nice.
We had three formal nights on the cruise with lots of opportunity for pictures. The
pictures using
film are good, exposures correct, etc. The digital images are horrible. Out of focus,
green or
yellow, you name it. RCCL should investigate using all film for their photographic retail
to receive
better results.
Disembarkation was cake. We were off the ship at 8:30. Customs was a breeze. Were back
home
in Orlando at 2pm. I still haven't figured out why the towels on the bathroom floor aren't
being
picked up or why I actually have to cook my dinner?
Overall, it was very relaxing, not crowded, just the kids being a nuisance and we learned
to avoid
them. Good food, great service, gorgeous ship (huge when parked next to the others, talk
about
bragging right). It was a great value for our last minute price. We booked two weeks
before
embarkation! I look forward to my next cruise! Happy New Year everyone!
Name: John E Flynn
Email: JFlynn280@aol.com
Age: 65
Occupation: Management Analyst
NumberOfCruises: 8
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Voyager
SailingDate: December 12, 1999
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
Cabin: 8292/DA
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 93
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 79
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 90
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService:
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 79
OverallPortsofCall: 79
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 09 Jan 2000
Time: 13:51:34
Remote Name: spider-tk032.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:
Comments
The ship was large to say the least. It would be good for families, with a festive
atmosphere, but we
would prefer the smaller ships (70,000T), which I heard from a number of other folks.
Embark/Disembark very smooth. Had to wait for elevators on embark/disembark, when
tendering
(Labadee). Early morning room service was either too late or 1/2 hour earlier than
requested
probably due to too many requests. Shows were fair (3rd time we saw Charro), but seats in
theatre
left something to be desired as they were like airline seats and too cramped. Food is not
near as
good as it used to be - selections much less (and no baked Alaska). Lobster not as good as
in the
past and it was stuffed with crabmeat. Overall ship was clean, with no problem getting a
spot for
sun bathing. Best location on deck just about pool - just great! Johnny Rockets was great.
No wait
on the first Monday, but once word got around, you had to wait 45 minutes to an hour to
get in.
The Royal Promenade was a beautiful spot and it felt just like sitting in a shopping mall
such as
Pentagon City in VA. No sensation of being on a ship. I think I would like to try an
interior room
overlooking the promenade if I went aboard again. If you can picture being in a Hyatt
hotel and
having it sail away, you will get the picture. However, being so large, it has lost some
of the
personal touches....such as the daily talks in the theatre, the perfume discussion groups,
and
some of the other small intimacies. The TV did not show the distance sailed nor the sea
conditions
which we have become used to. One thing that is also great is the peek-a-boo bridge where
you
can go and look down on bridge operations. Another neat thing was the ability to walk
completely
around the ship on the main deck, as well as being able to stand right up on the bow like
in the
titanic movie. Great photo opportunities throughout - great color. It is a large beautiful
ship and
everyone should try it at least once. Bon Voyage!
Name: Patrick Newell
Email: NuHomes@AOL.com
Age: 48
Occupation: New Home Sales Manager
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Voyager
SailingDate: December 5, 1999
Itinerary: Labadee,Ocho Rios, Cozumel
Cabin: 8390/DA
FoodDiningRoom: 75
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService: 50
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 70
GoodForHoneymoon: 50
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland: 85
GoodForFamilies: 50
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 75
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess: 95
ExerciseFacilities: 100
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 65
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 100
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 100
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 13 Jan 2000
Time: 23:26:09
Remote Name: proxy2-external.vista1.sdca.home.com
Remote User:
Comments
With our trip originating in San Diego, we availed ourselves of RCL's Air/Sea program. We were traveling with another
couple from the San Diego area. Upon meeting them at the airport and checking our cruise voucher booklets we
discovered that we had been booked into different hotels for our stay in Miami the night before the cruise. We
anticipated that this error would be taken care of by RCL personnel when we landed. Unfortunately, we were unable to
get them to rebook us in the same hotel and aren't sure to this day who made the mistake, RCL or our travel agent.
We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Downtown Miami and the hotel was nice. We had dinner in the hotel restaurant that
evening and the food and service was average. The next morning we were preboarded at the hotel by RCL staff. This
included issuing us our SuperCharge card/cabin key. The process went quickly and we were pleasantly surprised that
we would not have a long wait in line at the terminal as we have experienced with past cruises. However, the wait for
the buses used to transfer guests from the hotel to the terminal was unbearably long. It appeared that RCL did not
have enough busses ready to board what seemed to be a couple of hundred people or more.
Having sailed previously on two of RCL's ships, we were expecting a lot. Upon arrival at the terminal and seeing
Voyager in person for the first time we were awed by its size. The Enchantment was in port that day as well and it
appeared to be dwarfed by Voyager's gigantic presence. Since we were preboarded at the hotel, we went through the
security check and prceeded to an escalator to the second floor of the terminal to beard the ship. With dozens of
passengers on a narrow escalator carring suitcases, etc. it seemed like an accident waiting to happen, and it did. So
many people were arriving at the top of the escalator at once that the ones coming up behind them were forced to
push people over like dominos. Security had to stop the escalator to avoid serious injuries. This very serious safety
issue needs to be resolved by terminal authorities before someone is badly injured. Other than the escalator incident,
the new terminal is beautifully designed, very open and airy and seems to be laid out very efficiently. The boarding
process in general was a good experience.
Once aboard, we were awed by this vessel. The Grand Promenade is spectacular and the shops excellent. The
exercise equipment on board is all state of the art (although we never found the time to use it). The three tiered dining
room takes your breath away and the La Scala theatre is magnificent. Actually everything aboard this ship is state of
the art. They even have thier own radio and TV studio! Our cabin was aft and was very nice. It has a huge balcony,
one of several to the rear of the ship. From our balcony we were able to see both the port and starboard sides of the
ship when we were sailing or in port. This was a nice touch and the cabin was the nicest we have had to date.
We were seated at second seating in the Carmen dining room. Our table waiter Emme from Hungary was very good
although not as good as the ones were had on previous cruises. His assistant from Rumania was good also. However,
the head waiter was truly a dissapointment. He introduced himself briefly on the first night and we really never saw him
again until the night before gratuities were to be extended. On that night he was overly attentive and pleasant,
although you could see it was an act. We deduced that he may have been fishing for a larger tip. The food was
average at best and not up to RCL's usual fare. One thing that we sorely missed were the flaming deserts and all the
fanfare that goes along with them. This ship had none.
The food on the rest of the ship ranged from below average to average and although we could not classify any of it as
poor, it did come close at times. A real dissapointment was room service. We ordered breakfast one morning using the
menu that you place on your cabin door knob. When breakfast didn't arrive for almost 45 minutes past the time we
had indicated I called down to find out what was wrong. I was told they had too many other passengers to serve. After
another 15 minutes I called again, this time I was told they had lost our order and would take a new one over the
phone. About 15 minutes later our breakfast arrived but it was cold and so was the coffee. Five minutes later someone
was knocking at our cabin door. We opened it to find a second breakfast order had been delivered. This one was a
least hotter than the first one had been.
Another dissapointment was our cabin attendant. When we arrived on board we found that our cabin had not yet been
cleaned completely and had to wait to put our things away until she finished cleaning it. On previous cruises our cabin
attendants always dis cute thing with towels and pillows on our bed but on this cruise our cabin attendant did nothing.
It was very difficult to find her to get a bucket of ice and we had to wait, wait, wait, for everything. One day we needed
towels and couldn't find her. We noticed that the linen storage area was just across the hall from our cabin and the
door was slightly ajar so we went to help ourselves. When we opened the door there was our cabin attendant curled
up at the bottom of the closet trying to sleep. We woke her up, she did apologize.
Many of the 'features and amenities' RCL uses to attract passengers to the Voyager are extra cost items. You will pay
to use the ice skating rink, the rock climbing wall, even the miniature golf course. In addition, if you choose to dine at
the Portofino restaurant it will cost you an additional $8 a person. While RCL wants you to feel you are getting more
on this ship you will also be paying for everything you decide to use.
The ports of call were fun, especially Jamaica. Since I had been to the island eleven times in the past, I knew where to
go. So, we rented a large spacious van and the four of us drove to Montego Bay and had lunch at the Half Moon. It
was a very pleasant day. In Labadee, everyone spends the day at the beach and it is a very relaxing affair. However, I
must warn you not to even go near the few shops and the vendors on the so called "private island". To say that the
vendors are agressive is an understatement. You start at one end of this large building and you walk through a
gauntlet of the most discusting, vile, and agressive vendors I have ever experienced. The smell in there is horrendous.
RCL should be more careful about who they allow to sell in this area. Absolutely one of the most nauseating
experiences I have ever had and I have visited several third world countries. I just kept trying to convince myself that
these are poor people trying to make a meager living and I was able to brush it off as an experience. Cozumel was
very nice and we decided to go shopping for a piece of diamond jewelry. We were told by the ship's staff that this was
one of the best Caribbean ports to buy gemstones. We found that none of the shopkeepers would answer our
questions about diamonds. We couldn't get a straight answer about the grading of the stones, certification, etc.
Needless to say we left without buying any gemstones.
In summation, the Voyager is a very nice ship and it it one that every cruiser should experience at least once. Would
we go again, possibly, if the price and timing were right. However, we missed the intimacy that a smaller ship provides
and came away from the whole experience feeling somewhat cold. We felt the ship was way too big and took away
much of the crusing experience for us. We plan on booking our next cruise on a smaller ship that delivers better food
and better service. Will it be on an RCL ship? There is a very good possiblity of that since RCL has always provided
excellent service and food on past cruises.
Name: Cendey Roberts
Email: cendeyr@cyberback.com
Age: 32
Occupation: Physical Therapist/College Tennis Coach
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: RoyalCaribbean-Voyager
SailingDate: January 9-16 2000
Itinerary: Western Carrib.
Cabin: 8309
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland: 90
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService: 100
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 100
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 100
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 100
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 19 Jan 2000
Time: 00:03:48
Remote Name: 216-61-221-79.dialup.cyberback.com
Remote User:
Comments
My husband and I went on this cruise for our tenth anniversary. We had cruised with Carnival for our
honeymoon and were very excited to try RCL. We originally had booked this cruise with 3 other
couples, but all had dropped out over the year for one reason or another. We were going no matter
what and got rewarded for not folding as on the final day to cancel our travel agent called and said RCL
was advertising a special for this boat on the exact day we were booked for Arkansas residents. We got
upgraded to an atrium view room and received a check back for $1100, what a great way to start off.
POSITIVES: Embarkation/Disembarkation: What a breeze, we spent maybe 10 minutes to on the ship
and 10 minutes to get off. We stood in very short lines and breezed thru customs. Dining Room
Service: Our waiter was John Kenroy. He did a wonderful job always friendly and helpful. He always
special ordered our table Caesar salads every night as we loved the dressing. Our assistant waiter was
Fernando was also did a wonderful job. He remembered all of our little differences, like no lemon in my
water, I don't like pepper, and who liked coffee after dinner. We learned alot about the crew's life on
board from our staff as we talked after supper. The wait staff sang and danced the last two nights so
take your camera if you left kids at home. Ship Design: What an amazing ship. I don't know how many
times during the week we said 'I can't believe we are on a boat'. The promenade resembled a shopping
mall and it was fun to sit in our window and watch people mill around.Everything was still new and
beautiful, it was very impressive. Deck Space: We never had a problem getting a chair,(we were too
late everyday to get a primetime spot by the pool)but there was always a chair. Rooms: Compared to
our cabin on the last ship this was a palace. We had a small couch and loveseat, coffee table, desk,
ample closet space and a nice sized bathroom. The bay window visually opened the room to make it
seem bigger, however we had more than adequate space for our needs. Activities: We stayed busy all
week long, I did alot of the scheduled shipshape activities and turned in enough 'dollars' to get a t-shirt.
I must say that I was one of the few if not the only person under 50 doing the morning walks and fun
classes, but I had a good time and met some nice people. Becky who ran these programs was very
friendly and always smiling. The gym was awesome, we used it daily to counteract those six meals a
day. We never had to wait on a machine and the classes were quite a workout. Sports deck: We played
basketball, volleyball( yes a ball did go overboard), mini-golfed, played ping-pong and I roller-bladed.
The roller-blading was somewhat like running on a hamster wheel but it's not every day I can do that in
the middle of the ocean. The rock climbing was a complete blast and one of our highlights, very much
worth $8.00. Excursions: Labadee, we rented floating mats before checking the water temp. We didn't
end up using them, we just laid on the beach. The peninsula is gorgeous. Ocho Rios, we did the ocean
kayak tour. First we went to Dunn's River falls, it was a great time but boy was that water freezing. After
completing the falls you walk down to the ocean and get in the kayaks and off you go. The water is
beautiful and warm compared to the falls. You paddle down to a secluded beach were you can take
pictures and you are provided drinks and fruit. Your tour guide are a group of young local boys who
thoroughly enjoy their jobs. They made it so much fun. Cozumel, Getting a taxi is remarkably easy. We
went downtown for$5 did a little shopping. The bargains on gems there are unreal. But, shop wisely
everyone is selling the same items. We got back to the ship about 11:00 grabbed a quick lunch and
then took a $7 taxi to Chakanaab Nat'l Park. You can rent snorkel equipment for $5 and a reef is right
there. It is literally swarming with all kinds of beautiful marine life. The beach has chairs and there is
always a waiter milling around. They serve the cutest pineapple drinks filled with pina coladas or
strawberry daiquaris for$5. It was a great day. The shows: We really enjoyed all of the entertainment.
They have a very talented staff. NEGATIVES: Room Quietness: We went through some very rough
weather on Saturday and I could not sleep because of all the creaking and banging. Our room also felt
like it was on a vibrating pad whenever the ship would turn.
Food in the Windjammer and Island Grill: It was mediocre at best. We grew weary of the selection after
two days. The breakfast was always good, it was lunch that was lacking.
Lectures: I went to several of the scheduled Lectures in the fitness center and they all were glorified
sales pitches for there products or services. They were pushing a body composition test hard for $35.
My boss has the same machine at our hospital and we feel that based on reasearch it is unreliable at
best and the were toting it to be the solver of all your weight problems. Seating arrangements: We had
the late seating at a table for eight. Now don't get me wrong, we really liked the people we sat with they
were a blast, however, we sat with 3 girls that were my age and 3 women around 60 years of age. My
husband had a harem of 7 women. He had no male conversation for a week. On our last cruise we ran
around with one of the couples at our table, this time we didn't get that chance. Johnny Rockets: Don't
charge extra for food on a cruise. We only saw 4 or 5 people in there all week. Craft classes: I guess
since my aunt writes craft books for a living and has taught on ships before I expected way too much. I
was not thrilled at making a 5 minute folded paper box, folding napkins, or crepe paper flowers. Maybe
they should hire my aunt. TIPS: We boarded At 11:40, Immediately go to your room get on the rctv and
book your excursions we then found out what time the sports deck opened and went immediately to
book all of our activity times. We wished we would have booked several rock climbing times as it was
great. If you even remotely think you might do that then you had better book early. The same goes for
Portofino's. I heard it was excellent. Anytime you get off the ship that LOTS of small bills for tipping. We
never had enough for everyone that will assist you. All in all it was an excellent vacation that we want to
take our kids on next time. It was more than worth the $2200 we paid for an 8 night (hotel in Miami prior)
that is including air. We can't wait to go back.
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