Vision of the seas cruise May 8th thru May 12th the good the bad and the ugly

[mchuckas]

I should preface this by saying I have been on 10 cruises now two on RCCL. My wife 12 cruises now 3 RCCL.

The good:

4 Days on a cruise ship. Better than work.

4 days of great weather...I live in Michigan.

The employees try to please the guest.

Balcony room was nicely updated.

Leon was a great steward.

 

The bad:

Understaffed especially in the bar areas.

If you have been on a RCCL ship but not this class it will disappoint you. Small, poorly laid out, crowded.

Food especially Windjammer not good good. Offer less and better quality.

 

The ugly:

The beverage package. Some guest think it's a contest to see how much they can drink. Maybe Carnival has it right at 10 drinks per 24 hours.

The fights. Never witnessed it but ended up talking to one of the people involved. Alcohol driven both times led to two fights. Puts other guest and employees in harms way.

 

My apologies for the brevity of the review. If you have questions I will be happy to answer.

[Baby_Bear]

On her in 10 days. Can you comment on the quality of food and the overall experience dining in the MDR. Also Park Cafe. How was the Solarium? Did you go to any shows and if so, how were they? Thanks!

[mchuckas]

On her in 10 days. Can you comment on the quality of food and the overall experience dining in the MDR. Also Park Cafe. How was the Solarium? Did you go to any shows and if so, how were they? Thanks!

 

 

I did not do the pay restaurants just MDR for dinner. I had nice servers who were over worked and just one bar server per floor. The dinners were average at best. After 10 cruises I don't except much in MDR'S. Snuck into the park for my beef fix. Surprising it was good. Did not do Solarium. Saw the man of 100 voices and a little bit of the comedian. 1000 voices and comedian ok not great.

[joey1]

We will be boarding on May 22. I have had the AI alcohol package numerous cruises now, I have never really had a problem getting served, even at the pool bars. Do you feel it was more difficult because you had the package?

Did the roof on the solarium stay closed? Did you by chance bring any of the compasses back?

Thanks!

[Fla Mike]

I did not do the pay restaurants just MDR for dinner. I had nice servers who were over worked and just one bar server per floor. The dinners were average at best. After 10 cruises I don't except much in MDR'S. Snuck into the park for my beef fix. Surprising it was good. Did not do Solarium. Saw the man of 100 voices and a little bit of the comedian. 1000 voices and comedian ok not great.

 

If you were at the Park Cafe, you were in the Solarium.

[berylde]

I agree with most of MCChuckas's review.

The solarium roof did not retract. However, it was the place to be. Busy, with all lounges used but it was peaceful and quiet.No children allowed On sea days the pool deck was VERY crowded

Among the no pay restaurants, the Park Cafe the best with sandwiches, great salads and soup. Strange hours tho, only open for lunch 2 days. WJ food and selection pretty bad

The MDR fodd was good .

Our waiter and asst. waiter were overworked but tried so hard to please. Our waiter got a WOW card!

We were on Vision, May 3rd to the 8th.

[masspector]

I agree with the review above also. I was on May 3 5 day sailing too. Did no shows, they did not sound good. Only ate at WJ once, lunch on embark day, not a fan of buffets. Park Cafe was good. MDR was OK nothing spectacular. Ate at Chops and Izumi, these were great, as you would expect from an upcharge restaurant. Agree staff was just, OK.

 

What I diagree about was the ship being crowded. We never experienced this. Used solarium alot (roof not retracted). Got there after breakfast and always found two loungers in a spot that we were happy with (row behind row right next to pool). Only issue we had with crowds was before the aerial show in the centrum. It started filling up about an hour before the show.

 

Overall the first review is spot on. Weird ship layout, slow service, blah crew, ok food.

[mchuckas]

We will be boarding on May 22. I have had the AI alcohol package numerous cruises now, I have never really had a problem getting served, even at the pool bars. Do you feel it was more difficult because you had the package?

Did the roof on the solarium stay closed? Did you by chance bring any of the compasses back?

Thanks!

 

I think with the with the package it was more difficult not because the bar people were not trying. More to do with people trying to get there money's worth.

 

I walked thru the solarium to get to the park cafe. Spent a total of 5 minutes getting food. Can't say if the roof retracted but I would guess not.

 

Sorry no compass.

[mchuckas]

If you were at the Park Cafe, you were in the Solarium.

 

I stand corrected walking thru the Solarium to get to the park cafe is correct. Spent a total of five minutes at the Park cafe and which means a total of 5 minutes in the Solarium for the 4 day cruise. Still can't offer much about the Solarium.

[cruisinck]

In regards to the roof in the solarium. We were on the Enchantment (same class of ship) and asked the captain why the roof was closed with such a beautiful day. He said that in the caribbean with the heat they leave it closed for the AC because people who like to relax in there complain of the heat. :eek: I don't know if this is the same on Vision.

 

 

We will be sailing on 5/22 also

[Aboat1]

Did Leon mention if his family was affected by the Hurricane last year?

[WVU-79]

We also sailed May 8-12 on Vision of the seas. We found the ship to be clean and beautiful. The food in MDR was very good but not great. The service in the MDR was great, Branislov and Carlos. We also noticed that there was always a very long wait at every bar on ship, regardless of the time of day. Also, the bar service staff on the pool deck and in the theater were far and few between. However we found a great pool waiter, Reyard, who was funny and personable.

 

Parking at the port was fast and easy.

[Out to sea!]

I should preface this by saying I have been on 10 cruises now two on RCCL. My wife 12 cruises now 3 RCCL.

The good:

4 Days on a cruise ship. Better than work.

4 days of great weather...I live in Michigan.

The employees try to please the guest.

Balcony room was nicely updated.

Leon was a great steward.

 

The bad:

Understaffed especially in the bar areas.

If you have been on a RCCL ship but not this class it will disappoint you. Small, poorly laid out, crowded.

Food especially Windjammer not good good. Offer less and better quality.

 

The ugly:

The beverage package. Some guest think it's a contest to see how much they can drink. Maybe Carnival has it right at 10 drinks per 24 hours.

The fights. Never witnessed it but ended up talking to one of the people involved. Alcohol driven both times led to two fights. Puts other guest and employees in harms way.

 

My apologies for the brevity of the review. If you have questions I will be happy to answer.

 

FYI, on Carnival, it's 15 drinks per day, not 10.

[Darkwolfe]

In regards to the roof in the solarium. We were on the Enchantment (same class of ship) and asked the captain why the roof was closed with such a beautiful day. He said that in the caribbean with the heat they leave it closed for the AC because people who like to relax in there complain of the heat. :eek: I don't know if this is the same on Vision.

 

 

We will be sailing on 5/22 also

 

I don't think they've opened the Solarium roofs on any of the ships with this option in several years. Both Vision and Radiance class vessels have the feature.

 

Review sounds about typical for a short cruise. Seems like those always turn into booze cruises.

 

So far as the layout is concerned, Vision is a smaller ship, but the layout is somewhat similar to the Radiance ships. It's most definitely not like the Voyager class and up so if you're used to those, it might be off putting.

 

Be on the ship for the 10-night in June. Full review will follow, and if it's ugly, such will be reported.

[cb at sea]

I've yet to be on an RCI ship with a (so-called) retractable solarium roof where it was ever opened! I hate that adults don't have a place to sun....you simply can't tan under the roof! So, those who wish to sun, must go out around the main pool area...very frustrating!

[fragilek]

is it air conditioned- if not does it get very hot inside there. we are sailing the med in August and my conservatory is unbearable in a sunny summers day and we are in Scotland :eek:

[OTownNick]

Just got off Enchantment and the retractable roof was OPEN. Same with

Last cruise on her a few months ago. They close it in the evening.

Edited May 14, 2014 by OTownNick

[kpeezy]

I was also on the Vision of the Seas May 8-12, 2014. A very poor RCI experience to say the least!! The weather was GREAT, and that was the highlight of my trip. Bar service did not exist so my unlimited drink package was a total rip off. A bar server was never to be found, or lines were three deep at the bar. You finally got so disgusted that you quit trying to get a cocktail!! Entertainment was geared towards the travelers that enjoyed lounge music, nothing very current. I skipped most of the shows and walked out of the one I attended. Food was ok, nothing spectacular, yet good. Cleanliness of the ship was poor-- toilet paper on restroom floors, chunks of fruit on pool deck, stale musty smell in cabin corridors, plus a huge 3x3 wet spot on my cabin carpet that remained for two days...smell and all! I agree that the morale of the employees was very poor, I guess I would feel the same way working in those conditions. Sorry for this negative review...I have sailed several times with RCI, never had a bad experience until this time. I will never cruise on the Vision of the Seas EVER AGAIN. Will continue to book cruises on the bigger ships and get the WOW factor RCI promises.

 

 

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[poncho1973]

Just adding that I have been on Enchantment with the roof open.

[kpeezy]

Solarium roof on Vision was never opened for my four day cruise

 

 

 

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[pcur]

I was also on the Vision of the Seas May 8-12, 2014. A very poor RCI experience to say the least!! The weather was GREAT, and that was the highlight of my trip. Bar service did not exist so my unlimited drink package was a total rip off. A bar server was never to be found, or lines were three deep at the bar. You finally got so disgusted that you quit trying to get a cocktail!! Entertainment was geared towards the travelers that enjoyed lounge music, nothing very current. I skipped most of the shows and walked out of the one I attended. Food was ok, nothing spectacular, yet good. Cleanliness of the ship was poor-- toilet paper on restroom floors, chunks of fruit on pool deck, stale musty smell in cabin corridors, plus a huge 3x3 wet spot on my cabin carpet that remained for two days...smell and all! I agree that the morale of the employees was very poor, I guess I would feel the same way working in those conditions. Sorry for this negative review...I have sailed several times with RCI, never had a bad experience until this time. I will never cruise on the Vision of the Seas EVER AGAIN. Will continue to book cruises on the bigger ships and get the WOW factor RCI promises.

 

 

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You might want to know there have been other posters saying the Vision has improved in the last month. I'm thinking a crew turnover. It's really too bad you had such a lousy experience.

[kpeezy]

That's exactly what they needed....a crew turnover or adding several more employees. Time will tell!! Thank you.

 

 

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