Voyager Class vs. Vision Class

[hcviana]

I just saw a thread from somebody who had only sailed Voyager Class ships and was asking about Enchantment and how different it would be on a ship that old and smaller.

 

I have the opposite "problem" and would like some answers from those of you who have sailed both classes of ships, however, I don't want to "hijack" that thread and created this one.

 

We have been working our way up and have only sailed Majesty, Grandeur and Enchantment but next year we will be on the Navigator.

 

Other than the obviuos facts (ice rink, promenade, etc), how different is the feel and entertainment options on Voyager Class ships??? Do they feel too crowded?? Does the tendering take much longer with that many more people???

[cb at sea]

Other than being larger, you will still have a great experience. the ships are designed NOT to feel like you are one of thousands (which you will be!!!). Except at the pool, dinner, and the shows, you probably won't see more than 30 people together in one place!! It's amazing how they do this!

Tendering doesn't take too long--they have more tenders for more people! You are gonna love it!

[Aquahound]

Other than the obviuos facts (ice rink, promenade, etc), how different is the feel and entertainment options on Voyager Class ships???

 

It's totally different. Nothing compares to the Voyager Class ships. IMO, the Royal Promenade sets the Class apart from others.

[Inshape]

After 3 voyager and one upcoming freedom class, we were pondering our 2008 cruise--going smaller to jewel of the seas, for an 8 night. I have read that there is still wonderful things on the ship to make up for the loss of the pr deck and the ice skating. Will my kids, then ages 12 and 13 enjoy the "smaller" ship?

thanks, OOPS, just realized and had to edit. That ship is Radiance class not vision. Sorry, did not mean to "hijack".

[Lard Greystoke]

One aspect of the Voyager is that you will meet somebody, talk to them for a while, casually plan to meet again, and then never see them again ever. I saw a German guy on two of the islands and never saw him on the ship. You don't have to feel crowded unless you want to.

[mac_tlc]

We have sailed on the Voyager class ships five times and the Vision class once (in Alaska). The Royal Promenade does set the Voyager class ships apart, along with the ice rink. My wife and I enjoyed them both very much. My DS (12) thought the sports areas and arcade on the Vision were no match for the Voyager class ships. My only complaint about the Vision was that the tables in the upper level of the dining room were too close together. We had a table for 4 but the waiter had quite a struggle getting around the table.

 

We had an aft balcony on the Vision and that was much better than the aft balcony we had on the Mariner. Much better view with no ship-structure to obscure the view in any direction.

 

mac_tlc

[hcviana]

Thanks for the responses.

 

In those areas where people tend to concentrate, (Windjammer, Theatre, etc....) are those actually larger than the ones on Vision Class ships??

[Natanni]

Is the Voyager Class too big?

 

We have sailed mostly smaller ships (Inspiration, Grandeur, Conquest, Grand Princess and Rhasody) the largest being Grand Princess where we felt totally crowded (and this class of ship is also suppose to allow you not to feel the crowds) and the Conquest was unbearable. The smaller the better! Bumping into people that we see more than once is great to us! Chair hogging on the Carnival Conquest was miserable-people were

actually disputing over a deck chair occupance. We haved avoided sailing on a Voyager Class ship but I have a 15 year old junior varsity hockey player and a 10 year old figure skater begging for our next ship to be "The ONE WITH THE RINK MOM!!" but I dread the crowds at the pool and disembarking at ports. Do any of the mega ships go to smaller ports where it the only ship in port? How does RCCL enforce the no chair hogging policy on the mega ship and how do they make you feel like you are not one of the many thousand people on the ship? Guest ratio per attendant or space wise? Maybe I just need to pray for an ice rink on a Vision or Radiance Class of ship. It will be very hard to top the Rhapsody in any case :D

[skandls]

Being west coasters we have done more of the smaller ships. The Vision class is nice - a more traditional cruise.

 

We did the Navigator once. I really really liked that ship. The flow was quite good. Never seemed really crowded. There are more activity choices. And the Navigator has Vintages a big ++++ for me. Great (if expensive) wine tastings. And they had free Seattles Best coffee. I don't know if thats still there.

 

We did the Diamond Princess. I found it very inconvient. The flow of the ship was not well designed. The ship seemed really empty in places and overcrowded in others. There were times we were in a 'wave' of passengers getting from one place to another.

 

We are booked on the Freedom in December. I hope its as good as the Navigator.

 

There must be a reason the newer ships get higher per diems than the older ships.