Not So Perfect Vision: October 14-18, 2002
Written: Oct 18 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Lots of windows, marble and brass; very upscale.
Cons: No Lobster on three/four night itinerary. No sports court. Not a good choice for kids.
The Bottom Line: Beautiful, well maintained ship; perfect for Alaska. Lack luster menu, mediocre service the week I sailed.
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| Suzi's Full Review: Royal Caribbean Vision of the Seas |
Overview:
I was aboard the Vision of the Seas on October 14-18, 2002. During the summer, the Vision sails Alaska. However, this year (for two months anyway) she is making three and four night cruises to Ensenada, Mexico before embarking on her seven night Mexican Riviera itinerary. Although I enjoyed my short visit aboard the Vision of the Seas, there were a few things that bothered me (I'll go into more detail later), that probably won't affect those of you sailing on seven night itineraries. None the less, the Vision of the Seas is a beautiful ship, and for those of you heading to Alaska or the Mexican Riviera, you can expect to have a great time.
About Me:
I work for the cruise industry, and consult for Royal Caribbean. On average, I sail aboard 3-6 ships every year. Thus far, my voyage aboard the Vision will be my fourth this year, with one more to go in December. Although my work primarily takes me aboard Carnival, NCL and Royal Caribbean, I also cruise for pleasure, and most recently found myself aboard the Star Princess in Alaska this past June.
Unfortunately, my trip aboard the Vision was work related, so I didn't get a chance to spend much time in port this trip. But I was able to get a good look at the ship, and comment on things such as service, the food and entertainment. Although my experience was relatively positive, there were others (like us) on the ship caught off guard by the lack of lobster on their three and four night itineraries, by the lack luster menu, and by the service (or lack thereof) in the main dining room and through out the ship.
My Accommodations:
I was placed in a mid-level outside stateroom on the third floor. I had a very comfortable room, complete with a large picture window. Storage space, although enough for four nights, was at a minimum. I travel light, and had more than enough space for my things in the closet. However, drawer space was minimal. I recommend you bring extra wire hangers (which you can leave behind), and plan to fully utilize the closet.
I had a very comfortable bed, two night stands and a small TV. There was a hair dryer in the room, but no plugs in the bathroom for such items like electric shavers. Bathroom storage was adequate. The shower is quite small, and the cruise line provides soap and shampoo.
My stateroom attendant made up my bed, provided me with fresh towels and nothing else. She never cleared away dirty cups or dishes. She often forgot to refill the ice container, and although quite pleasant to speak to, she did only the bare minimum. Although I was upfront with her, and told her the first day that I was here on the ship with management, she never once went out of her way to do anything but the minimum. I gave her the standard tip, but didn't feel good about it.
Public Areas of the Ship:
Although well maintained, I was quite disappointed to see the wear and tear on both interior and outside areas. Most noticeable were the lounge chairs by the main pool area, which were dirty, stained and in disrepair. The Solarium pool area, the covered deck chairs and the tables were in good order. Carpeting throughout the ship was recently replaced, except in the elevators. The lounges and other public spaces, including the Masquerade Theater, Enchanted Evening Lounge and Acquarius Dining room were stunning. There is a lot of brass, beautiful marble and glass everywhere. I could go into more detail, however suffice it to say, the ship has been well maintained, and to most people, stained carpeting here and there isn't a big deal. The Vision was built in 1998, and like her other sister ships, is still elegant and upscale. No, she doesn't have a rock climbing wall or an ice skating rink. But she does have a lot of windows, a big plus if you're sailing in Alaska.
Activities & Entertainment
Unlike most Vision class ships, the Vision of the Seas does not have a basket ball/volleyball court. As a result, if you are a more active person, your options are limited to pool games, ping pong and shuffle board. The spa is well equipped, and regularly schedules aerobics, yoga (for a $10 fee) and offers a variety of hair, nail and massage treatments. You can also use the sauna and their facilities for no extra charge.
There were two pool areas and numerous jacuzzi's, that were very popular with kids. There was a poolside steel band and dancing available during sail-away parties. There was a production show, karaoke, dancing and lounge music every night, as well as a casino and an afternoon movie. I found the entertainment typical of cruise line productions. If you've seen one, you've seen them all. However, every once in a while you encounter great talent, which unfortunately, was on short supply this trip. Most first time cruisers I spoke to raved about the production shows, so you should probably take what I say with a grain of salt.
Other activities included audience participation type shows, things like napkin folding and bingo; not exactly my cup of tea. However, there was never a shortage of things to do. Our itinerary included a port of call every day, so daytime activities were at a minimum. Many older, repeat guests didn't get off the ship, and took advantage of daily spa specials, uncrowded pool areas and an opportunity to play cards out on deck. The design of the ship lends itself to ocean viewing, with lots of wind breaks.
Kid's Program
Although the Vision's Adventure Ocean Kid's Program has a great bunch of counselors, the area set aside for kids is small. Little ones will have a great time, however older kids (10 years and up) may find the program a little too confining. I have a 9 year old, and I'm sure he'd do well. But if you have older kids, I'm not sure they would have enough things to keep them busy on days at sea.
Dining:
This is where I felt the cruise really lacked. To begin with, I was quite disappointed to learn that Royal Caribbean didn't serve lobster on their three and four night cruises. It's been a while since I sailed a four night itinerary aboard a Royal Caribbean ship. Rest assured, if you are sailing on any seven night itinerary, you WILL get lobster. But not on these short cruises.
As has been the case for some time now, many people choose to eat in the Windjammer (buffet type) restaurant at dinner. Consequently, on any given night, you may find your table mates absent, including the last night of the cruise. Although some waiters do end up getting "stiffed" the last night of the cruise, many people pre-pay their gratuities. But eating alone occasionally can also be a pain.
The quality of the food in the mian dining room was okay, but somewhat unimaginative. Presentation was always great but the taste a little bland. Service was efficient, but our waiter had no personality. That doesn't mean anything, as you probably won't get our waiter. But I mention it to point out that some people get lucky and other's (like us) don't. We had a table for 10, but you can request a table for two, four and eight. You can also request that your group of four, six or seven be seated at one table.
The Windjammer buffet had great sandwiches at lunch time, but dinners were typical buffet quality. Unlike Princess, the food in the buffet was of lesser quality than what you would find in the dining room. However, to my surprise, many people headed here for dinner EVERY night.
Recommendations:
If you are looking to sail the Mexican Riviera or Alaska, your experiences will be different from mine. It's important to note that I was on a short four night itinerary, that didn't mirror the quality that Royal Caribbean is known for. The ship is beautiful, but keep in mind that if you are traveling with kids, it' worth taking the time to investigate further the kid's program, and NOT rely on only my input. A good place to get feed back is on Cruise Critic's message board (www.cruisecritic.com).
As the Vision of the Seas embarks on their Mexican Riviera itinerary, it's worth taking a look at her competition. Carnival's Elation (http://www.epinions.com/content_61884763780) and Princess' Star Princess (http://www.epinions.com/content_77093703300) both do identical itineraries. All three have specials, and although Carnival's Elation will run you a little less money, Star Princess will cost you a few bucks more, all three offer a quality product. My preference to Mexico would be aboard the Star Princess, but the Elation has alot to offer, and both have more outside activities and larger kid's facilities. Staterooms aboard the Elation are larger, but the rooms aboard the Star Princess are aranged so well, they give the illusion of more space.
On the other hand, I would have no problems highly recommending the Vision of the Seas to Alaska, as you can see the ocean from nearly every public area on the ship. She also has a lot of wind breaks, which makes outside viewing more comfortable. You'll also find the cuisine to be similar aboard all three ship, although Princess has a slight edge in this area. Service is uniformly similar.
Given prices were equal (and it pays to shop around), I would select Princess. But there are other ships going to Alaska and Mexico. Check out reviews and choose the ship most suited to your tastes.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
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Epinions.com ID:
Suzi
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Location: California
Reviews written: 190
Trusted by: 147 members
About Me:
Suzi is an aspiring travel writer who enjoys scuba diving and volleyball.
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