Looking for NEWS on VOYAGER-Galveston!!!

[austinlw]

You may not want to take a Cruise Compass from a previous week too seriously in planning out your cruise. Activity and show times and days can vary from week to week. Example: I saw a Voyager Cruise Compass from several weeks ago that showed the Quest game scheduled on Friday night. On our cruise last week it was on Thursday night. Also, the guest performers can vary from week to week and that could affect the show times or days. However, it seems to me that Royal Caribbean does a great job of coordinating show times with dinner times. For their big shows involving the singers and dancers, they have an early show for the late diners, and a later show for the early diners. Sometimes they have an 8:30 show and a 10:30 show. We didn't have any problems with eating dinner in the dining room and seeing all the shows.

[golfpccc]

I don't have time to write a full review of our cruise this past week but I wanted to come back and just let you know that we had a WONDERFUL TIME (and you will, too).

 

The ship looked really great. I did see some wear and tear but it was totally expected with the traffic. I enjoyed being on the ship and only got off the ship in Grand Cayman...we took a cab for $12 round trip per person to the beach.

 

Eric, the cruise director, and Tracy, the activities manager are VERY entertaining. They have a Regis and Kelly type show playing on the tv each morning. They are great together. Eric is funny and quick and she is cute and silly so they compliment each other well.

 

One of my favorite things that we did on the ship is a Q & A session with Eric (nerd, aren't I :)). He answered questions for and hour and a half. It was extremely interesting and I learned lots of new things. Make this a priority if you are on the ship.

 

We, of course, were treated like royalty from our cabin steward (Vincent), waiter (Roman) and assistant waiter (Venkat).

 

I did notice a few changes most I had read here and one I didn't...staying in your room until departure time (big thumbs up), $4.95 at Johnny Rockets (no big deal-only $1 more), no cash back on leftover OBC (so not a problem :D). What I had not read around here...there are no more Smart Casual nights in the Main Dining Room (it was all casual for us) and Friday night, laying on our bed, was a sheet saying that they would be pulling all of the candy out of the room refrigerator on Saturday evening to make room for candy packaged in a different way. I'm thinking something like candy packaged with RC logo or something but I'm not sure.

 

I hope all of your enjoy your time on Voyager as much as we did. I'll be happy to answer any questions that you have.

 

On a side note, CruiseLoverandAgent (Erica)...I'm glad I was able to find you and say hi to you. Don't you just want to hop on that ship each Sunday :)? Being that close is such a temptation.

 

Angela

 

You mentioned no refund on unused OBC--we will have OBC from TA and OBC for fuel charge refund--if we don't use up all our OBC from these items will we loose it? Just afraid that we won't be able to use all of this credit. Read in a post that some OBC would be refundable--do you know if ours qualifies to be refundable?

[crazy 4 cruising]

You mentioned no refund on unused OBC--we will have OBC from TA and OBC for fuel charge refund--if we don't use up all our OBC from these items will we loose it? Just afraid that we won't be able to use all of this credit. Read in a post that some OBC would be refundable--do you know if ours qualifies to be refundable?

I don't know, BUt I do know that if we are close to the end of the cruise and still have OBC, I will be paying the 3% surcharge to get money from the casino. better to lose a little than to lose it all!!! at l;east we can check our balances on the tv on VOyager

[abpmillsww]

You mentioned no refund on unused OBC--we will have OBC from TA and OBC for fuel charge refund--if we don't use up all our OBC from these items will we loose it? Just afraid that we won't be able to use all of this credit. Read in a post that some OBC would be refundable--do you know if ours qualifies to be refundable?

 

I really don't understand what is refundable and what is not. What I do know is we had $262 OBC and had no problem using it. In fact we went over a bit :). Have fun and if you have quite a bit left over then you can do what the previous poster mentioned.

 

Angela

[wolfganghowell]

For any of you that have leftover OBC, you can apply it to my account. I'll be happy to provide you with pertinent details. :)

 

Would love to see some more reviews and get some good specifics. How is the live music? Name of band? What nights are the parades?

[ranchingal]

I questioned C & A about getting cash at the Pursers Desk. She said there was no surcharge applied there. Only at the casino.

[austinlw]

"How is the live music? Name of band? What nights are the parades?"

 

The calypso band by the pool was good, except that they had no steel drummer. I would have even settled for the steel drum sound from the synthesizer, but they didn't do that either. A calypso band with no steel drum is lacking IMHO. They did all the usual cruise ship songs, including some Bob Marley.

 

The band that accompanies the singers and dancers and guest performers is outstanding, and I say this as someone with degrees in music (a former HS band director).

 

They had parades the first and last nights late at night, between 10 and 11.

[cruiseaholics]

For any of you that have leftover OBC, you can apply it to my account. I'll be happy to provide you with pertinent details. :)

 

Would love to see some more reviews and get some good specifics. How is the live music? Name of band? What nights are the parades?

Hey, Missy... I'm leaving on VY before you are... it there are leftover OBC's I think I should have first dibs. :p (And for that I'll give you & Mr. Wolf Voyager details ad nauseum when we meet at "that place that makes me drink too much"... LOL.)

 

austinlw... were the traditional dining times 5:30 & 8:00 on your cruise as well?

[lca0714]

We sail on the Voyager on 2/22/09 and can't wait! Are there any hidden or secret spots anyone can share?

[cruiseaholics]

We sail on the Voyager on 2/22/09 and can't wait! Are there any hidden or secret spots anyone can share?

We're on the same sailing and have a fun collection of people on our CC Roll Call. Join us (if you'd like ;)) here...

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=652651

 

The thread is pretty long (over 2,800 posts :eek:) but feel free to skip what's gone before and just hop in at the last page. :)

[Driftwoodgal]

I questioned C & A about getting cash at the Pursers Desk. She said there was no surcharge applied there. Only at the casino.

 

Angie,

 

Been trying to get in touch with you, can you email me?

[Driftwoodgal]

Cruiseloveragent/Erica,

 

What can you tell me about Madi Gras in Galveston? We are wondering about the events that are being held.

 

Thanks for any info.

[wolfganghowell]

And cruiseloverandagent, if you post here, I started a thread looking for you on the ports board. :)

 

Patty - don't we need to go to "that place" before you leave so you can doc dance and torture us that you are cruising before we are? :D

[mndity]

We sail on the Voyager on 2/22/09 and can't wait! Are there any hidden or secret spots anyone can share?

 

If we told you they wouldn't be hidden or secret anymore would they???

[austinlw]

We sail on the Voyager on 2/22/09 and can't wait! Are there any hidden or secret spots anyone can share?

 

This isn't really hidden or secret. However, for folks who are adverse to entering a gym while on a cruise, it might be. Several nights after dinner before other activities I enjoyed about 10-15 minutes in the large hot tub in the gym. The hot tubs in the Solarium were only lukewarm and my wife and I prefer a hotter hot tub (maybe I should rephrase that ;) ). Anyway, my answer is the gym hot tub after dinner.

[jasonteller]

We just came off VOS on Sunday and here is my condensed report.

 

1) Ship is in pretty darn good shape, no major complaints. A little dingy here and there. We were on Mariner less than a year old, so of course there will be ad difference. Our connecting Grand Suites were in very good shape and those rooms are well worth the money with a larger group because you have room to spread out, watch movies, play games, etc.

 

2) Food was well below average. Windjammer was IMHO a 2/3 on a 10 scale. One reader said "who cares, since it is there all the time to snack", but I'm telling you nothing seemed up to par. Salad bar was was weak (limited choices, not great quality produce). Choices were limited in general. Desserts were horrendous. Compared to Mariner cruise it was a major disappointment. Dining room was better, but still seemed like mass, mass produced food. Nothing ornate, nothing particularly scrumptious, etc. Johnny Rockets was as expected, no complaints - you know what you get there. We did not eat at Portofino.

 

3) The itinerary was not particularly interesting. This is not RCCL's fault - we picked it after all - but Progresso was cut out (4th stop) and Costa Maya is nothing - just an invented place to stop and drop some money on junk. We were looking forward to Roatan the most and did enjoy it the most. Fins 'n Flippers highly recommended, but take bug spray! Sand flies ate everybody up...not RCCL's fault or Fins 'n Flippers either - just a little thing we didn't realize to prepare for. Cozumel was same as it's always been...and many of us have been there a few times or more. So all in all just a lack of interesting stops.

 

4) Crew was overall very highly rated. Waiters, attendants, shops, bar tenders... everbody was great. 9 on a 10 scale with the exception of breakfast / lunch wait staff in main dining room. I don't know if those folks don't get tips? I'm not certain how that works, but nobody was motivated to do anything special. Service was below average. But again all in all it was a great crew.

 

5) Weather was disappointing. Not sure what to normally expect through the Gulf that time of year but it was windy and cold enough to make Deck 11 fairly chilly and unenjoyable.

 

6) Entertainment was more than adequate. Ice show great. Broadway show great. My family enoyed the kareokee and some other stuff. Not a huge focus for me, but seemed adequate.

 

7) Adventure Ocean was great, probably because so few kids on the sailing. They said about 150 total, very light load and so our 3 kids (7, 5, and 3) got a lot of attention and loved spending time there. They were probably in on average 3-4 hours per day and would have gone a lot more if we had let them.... but didn't want or need to ditch them constantly (although some parents did... sad).

 

8) The Fuel Surcharge OBC was a pleasant surprise because we never saw it coming!

 

9) Bought a fairly expensive Omega watch onboard and everybody should know that you can bargain on these things, even on board. I got a very, very fair price... so shop with confidence but don't leave money on the table by not bargaining.

 

10) We had access to the Concierge Lounge by virtue of staying in a Suite and well worth it. Enjoyed the 24 hour lattes, the open bar hours and Martin the Concierge was very helpful with a number of other things.

[wolfganghowell]

Thanks Jason for your perspective. We are going on Mariner in the fall so interested in your comparison. Food on RCCL --- eh....it is what it is. We never go hungry but we're never writhing in ecstacy either. :)

 

One Mariner vs Voyager question - isn't the Solarium on Mariner enclosed? I know Voyager's is open air.

[Cindy]

One Mariner vs Voyager question - isn't the Solarium on Mariner enclosed? I know Voyager's is open air.

 

Mariner's is open air also.

[wolfganghowell]

Thanks Cindy, I thought some of the solariums on V-class were enclosed. No worries either way - it's my quiet spot during the mornings. :)

[sailor moon]

MTD is now available for sign up. This thrills us as we did not want a 5:30pm dining time and late dining was too late for our group.

[Cathys Cruising]

I bring a small travel coffee pot that I use to heat water for my tea in the morning. I do put it up out of sight when not in use as it may be "against the rules." However the high rollers in the suites have coffee pots in their cabins.

Tucker in Texas

 

Wow.....what a lot of information packed into one area. Wonderful! We're taking our first RCI cruise this weekend (gosh I love saying that!) on the Voyager. Can anyone confirm the coffee pots in the suites on this ship?

Thanks,

Cathy

[petel]

Wow.....what a lot of information packed into one area. Wonderful! We're taking our first RCI cruise this weekend (gosh I love saying that!) on the Voyager. Can anyone confirm the coffee pots in the suites on this ship?

 

Thanks' date='[/size']

 

Cathy

 

Yes, there was a coffee post in the JS on the VY 1/25/09 cruise.

 

A couple of other things to add:

 

Eric the cruise director and Tracy the activities manager have a show they do evey day on channel 14 about the day's activities. It's really a hoot. Also, don't miss the dis-em-bark show on channel 27 that runs the last three days. It's really good.

 

If you have any problems at all with the waiters at lunch or any other time just see any one of the head waiters and it will be fixed right then. Never go away unhappy with the service. Take a second and support the training/motivation effort.

[Rancher Dave]

Eric the cruise director and Tracy the activities manager have a show they do evey day on channel 14 about the day's activities. It's really a hoot. Also, don't miss the dis-em-bark show on channel 27 that runs the last three days. It's really good.

 

The show is really good. DD ended up part of the show one day and got a real kick out of that.

[jillybabes]

The show is really good. DD ended up part of the show one day and got a real kick out of that.

 

I bet she did:p, would have loved to see Tori on TV...

[Mamabug]

I can't believe so many people complain about the food. It must not be as bad as people are saying otherwise people wouldn't go back! I hope it's not horrible, we will be there this weekend.