Nancy Norris
TrvlJrnlst@aol.com  

Age: Various
Occupation: Various
Number of Cruises: Various
Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean International
Ship: Vision of the Seas
Sailing Date: February 17th, 2002
Itinerary: 10-day Westbound Hawaii (Ensenada to Honolulu)

      After much anticipation, 10 of us (6 single ladies - better known as the Six-Pack, and 2 married couples) embarked on our Hawaiian journey from Cleveland, Ohio.  Collectively, we have logged over 100+ cruises. This cruise review is a compilation of our unbiased thoughts, and opinions, as well as the views of 2 other couples from New Jersey.  

Embarkation:

This had to be the worst embarkation process on record!  Due to the Jones Act, which prohibits the transport of passengers between US ports without calling on a distant foreign port, we could not board the Vision of the Seas in San Diego, where it was docked, but were bused from the San Diego airport to Ensenada, Mexico. The cruise ship set sail midday to meet its passengers in Ensenada.  The 6-pack arrived in San Diego at 1:30 pm, eager to start our trip.  Little did we know that just getting onboard would be an adventure by itself.  The first sign that things may not go smoothly, was the fact that there was no one at baggage claim, or anywhere else in the airport from the cruise lines to greet us. We had to wander outside the concourse and hunt down someone from RCI. Having claimed our luggage, we were instructed to place it on the curb with a thousand other pieces of cruise passengers' luggage, and then waited for further directions. The bus luggage compartments were loaded with luggage (not necessarily those belonging to the passengers on the bus); we boarded the buses, and then waited some more.  A box lunch was provided for our trip, and we were off. (Apparently, we were lucky, however, as RCI had miscalculated and ran out of box lunches).  We didn't go far, however. Since new security measures have been implemented, we were taken as far as the Port of San Diego, where we remained on the bus, and waited again, while all luggage loaded at the airport was unloaded and taken inside.  Unfortunately, there was only one luggage scanner working, so this was an extremely lengthy process.  Once luggage was scanned, the bus drove into the screening area, and luggage was then reloaded into the bus compartment.  We finally began our 2-hour journey to Ensenada about 3:15 pm. I must say the drive to Ensenada was very interesting, as well as scenic!  We actually saw Mexicans hiding out on one side of the border, and the border patrols positioning themselves for the onslaught of nighttime migration.  In contrast, the view of the Pacific coastline as we traveled down the highway was stupendous.  Our bus driver was quite a character, as well as, a good tour guide.

Our next stop was supposed to be the Coral Hotel, about 2 miles from the Ensenada Pier, where our documents were to be processed, and cruise check-in was to take place.  Our bus driver indicated she was not given those directions, however, and took us directly to the ship, bypassing the check-in process.  We were to discover, as you will read later, that she did us a huge favor.  When 42 passengers disembarked the bus, and attempted to board the ship with no boarding pass, security definitely broke down.  Since we were holding up the boarding process, they ushered all 42 of us inside, bypassing any security check, and told we could be processed at the purser's desk (Deck 5) on our own.  So much for controlling who, or what, may board the ship!

 Now, for the real horror story!  Four of my traveling companions were on an earlier flight, and arrived in San Diego about 10:30 am.  The cruise line was not ready to begin transporting passengers to Ensenada, so they had a lengthy wait at the airport.  Then their bus broke down near the border, and they watched helplessly along the side of the road as bus, after bus, of cruise passengers drove by.  Once they did arrive at the hotel, things got worse.  As this was a makeshift check-in point, there were not enough terminals to process passengers in a timely fashion.  Passengers were instructed to wait on the bus until they were called, but after waiting well over an hour in the bus line, angry passengers left the bus and stormed the hotel.  Once inside the hotel, it was pure chaos.  People were waiting everywhere, there were no organized lines, and many unruly passengers shoved their way to the terminals to be processed, bypassing those cruise guests who were waiting patiently for their color to be called.  Apparently, this was the first sailing of the Vision to Hawaii. The combination of the inexperience of the cruise staff and inadequate facilities caused the entire embarkation process to break down, and any form of control was lost.  In theory, the embarkation process should have gone smoothly.  The hotel, cruise staff, and terminals, however, were ill equipped to handle the 8-10 buses that arrived at one time, followed by a continuous flow of transport buses.  In fairness to the cruise staff that handled the embarkation, they were as angry and frustrated as the guests.  Processing 1800+ passengers, all arriving at the same time, should have been more thoroughly planned by RCI.  This was definitely NOT the way anyone wanted to start the cruise!

The Ship:     

      The Vision of the Seas is a beautiful ship with lots of polished brass, glass, and a feeling of openness.  Due to facilities at the Ensenada pier, the first glimpse of the interior of the ship is through the gangway on deck 1.  Unfortunately, the first impression is not good.  But, once on board and you venture to deck 4, the six story Centrum is a pleasant surprise. Sofas and conversational areas surround it on three levels, giving a sense of spaciousness.  There are many small nooks to sit and enjoy the view. The champagne bar is located on deck 4 and has a small dance floor adjacent.  Entertainment was provided there in the afternoon and evening.  The Moe Keale Trio, a Hawaiian trio, was excellent as they performed during pre-dinner cocktail hours.  At night the Guy Fox Trio provided a good mix of dance music.  They tried to accommodate requests of the guests, and although it was not their style, even attempted some polka music. Deck 4, also has a covered promenade, which many of us used for walking, but, unfortunately, it does not go all the way around the ship, so you need to backtrack to do a mile. The main floor of Aquarius, the one dining room on board, is on this deck.  It is a two level dining area, with a great amount of window seating, and many tables for 4.  There are small banquettes, which encompass larger tables.  It is overall very appealing, and tastefully decorated. 

      Deck 5 was the location of the purser's desk and the casino.  The casino was not huge, but adequate.  Apparently the slots were pretty liberal as many of my traveling companions did well.  Of course, they also gave back most of their money before the cruise was over, but it provided great entertainment.  Much better than the production shows, and "celebrity" guests that attempted to entertain us in the Masquerade Theatre. Access to the Masquerade Theatre was through the casino, or via the walkway through the Centrum shops on deck 6.  

      The two level theatre had a good sound system and the site line from most seats was good.  There were poles that did obstruct the view from some seats, and detracted from the overall appearance, however.  On this particular cruise, in order to garner a good seat for performances, you needed to arrive at least a half-hour before the show.  Collectively we found this to be a bit of a waste of time.  The lead singers in the production shows were weak, and the shows themselves were redundant.  Although three different production shows were performed, it was difficult to tell one from the other.  This was a disappointment to me. I love the theatre, particularly musicals, and look forward to this aspect of a cruise.  Even the sets were boring and ordinary.  Our "celebrity" guests' claims to fame were the theme to "Happy Days", and "From Russia with Love". On that note, I will say no more.

One entertainment highlight that was a real treat was the Spirit of Polynesia.  As this was a Hawaiian cruise, they accompanied us on our days at sea.  They were excellent entertainers, as well as informative.  I learned much about the Hawaiian people, music, and customs through the variety of programs they provided.  Their performance at the luau on the last day at sea was exceptional. Another bright spot regarding the entertainment on board was the cruise director Bobby Brown.  He had a good sense of humor, and as master of ceremonies at many an event, he was charming and personable.    

      The shops on Deck 6 had a nice variety and selection.  The photo gallery was also located on Deck 6.  It was one of the few places on board that I felt claustrophobic, as at peak times it was impossible to move, let alone view the pictures. The Schooner Bar, also on deck 6, had some good "happy hour" specials, and was the location of the piano bar.  Opposite the Schooner Bar is the Showboat lounge. It appears to have become the annex to the conference room, however, as it was seldom used for anything other than group meetings, or a place to sit quietly away from the rest of the passengers.  At the very end of the deck was the Some Enchanted Evening lounge. This was the sight of line dancing, dance music by Luna, cocktail parties, the passenger talent show and karaoke.  Speaking of karaoke, some of the best entertainment on board was performed by passengers who were exceptionally talented. 

Deck 9 was the location of the main pool, which was surrounded by 4 hot tubs.  I liked the canopies over the hot tubs, which provided some shelter from inclement weather. Flare, a great calypso band, performed poolside in the afternoon.  They were much better than the one Anita Baker tape that was played on the pool deck when the band was not performing.  I do enjoy Anita Baker, but after 10 days she got a little old.  The Windjammer Café was forward, with a great feeling of space.  Floor to ceiling windows surround the café and made it a very pleasant place to dine.  On Deck 9, aft, was the Solarium.  This was another beautiful area of the ship. There is a very nice pool, and two more hot tubs.  The architecture and design is impressive.  Due to the chilly weather we experienced our first few days, this was a very popular spot.  Just past the Solarium was the shipshape spa.  Some of our group splurged on facials, and full body massages and found the experience to be well worth the money.  The spa had a meditation area that was one of the most serene spots I have encountered on a cruise. 

      Directly above the spa, on deck 10, was the shipshape center. There was a small area designed for aerobic and fitness exercise.  It became very crowded on our first few days at sea, and people were actually waiting in line to get a spot.  This may have had something to do with the weather conditions, as many of us would have been out on deck soaking up the rays, if the sun had cooperated.  There were a variety of exercise machines, but they were seldom available.  The jogging track was on deck 10 and it, too, was a highly popular spot.

      The observatory and Viking Crown lounge are on the top decks.  At night the Viking Crown lounge becomes the ship's disco.  The teen center, video arcade, and children's playroom are also located here.  There were very few children on board this particular cruise, but those I did see, appeared to be having a wonderful time.  There was also an Internet Café aboard (deck 8), but at 50 cents a minute, it could easily become very costly to stay connected. A flat rate for the length of the cruise, as some ships offer, would have been a nice alternative.

The Cabins:  

      Three of us shared Cabin #7106, midship, near the central elevators. Our balcony cabin was in an excellent location.  Two flights up to the pool and Windjammer café, two flights down to the dining room, and casino.  We had a connecting room and I was very pleased that the cabins had excellent soundproofing. The turquoise and mauve room was not large, but sufficient to accommodate the three of us.  There were two twin beds, and the couch pulled out to a queen size sleeper.  The twin beds could be pushed together to make a queen.   A small privacy drape separates the beds from the sofa.  This is really more decorative than functional, however, as it is less than 2 ft. wide. There was plenty of hanging space, even though one of us had definitely over-packed and had to hang two outfits to a hanger.  Drawer space was at a greater premium.  There were a total of 6 small drawers, and 4 very tiny drawers in the nightstands.  There was a nice corner cupboard with 6 shelves and extra storage on both sides of a well-lit mirror. In addition to the vanity, there was a full-length mirror, but the configuration of the beds made it a bit awkward to use.  The beds were high enough to store luggage underneath.  There was only one double outlet on the vanity.  An extension cord is a great extra to bring from home, particularly if there is more than one female sharing the room. A hair dryer was provided.  Our cabin also had a refrigerator.  I was so glad to see that it was empty.  I have been charged on more than one occasion for just moving items in stocked refrigerators.  There was a safe in the cupboard above the TV.  You entered your own 4-digit code to activate it

      Our balcony was quite nice. Personally, I have been spoiled, and a balcony cabin, albeit more expensive, is worth it!  Although it was not large, it had 3 chairs and a small table.  Be advised that the partition between balconies does not provide complete privacy from your neighbors.  It is also wise to think about what side of the ship the sun will be rising on when deciding on a balcony cabin.  The six-pack was thrilled with their balconies.   The couples that were with us, however, were on the opposite side of the ship.  The air was quite chilly as we crossed the Pacific, and the sun did not warm their balcony, as it did ours.  Consequently, they never used their balcony until we arrived in Hawaii. 

      The bathroom had a small counter space, with 3 shelves in the medicine cabinet.  Again, the lighting was very good.  The shower pressure was very good.  The circular shower stall has an adequate shower curtain.  It did have a tendency to not stay put, however, so a few clothespins clipped to the bottom make a world of difference.  There is no ventilation, or fan in the bathroom, so the mirrors fog easily.  I appreciated the RCI bathrobes we were provided.  It is always nice to have one less thing to pack.

      The TV was not interactive, so you were unable to book shore excursions, or check the status of your charges, but it had a very wide selection of channels.  The Discovery Channel, TNT, ESPN, Retro-TV, CNN, a Music Video Channel, as well as 4 movie channels were always available.  RCI also provided its own in-house port and shop talk, bridge cam, shore excursion, and Vision voyage channels.   One nice touch was the channel that displayed the day's menus.  It was wonderful when deciding on our dining choices.  In fact, one evening after a full day of sightseeing, we were all prepared to just go to casual dining, when we discovered that escargot and lobster were being served in the main dining room. Needless to say, we reversed our decision rather hastily.

      Our cabin was located right next to the Royal family suite.  During our cruise we had an opportunity to visit.  It was superb!  It had a beautiful master bedroom with private bath and balcony, a living room with balcony, and a separate bedroom that could sleep 4, plus another full bath.  Although costly, it was about three times the size of our room, and certainly worth the money.  One final note on the cabin: Our cabin steward, Ronald, was outstanding!  It was obvious that he enjoyed his work, and he did all that he could to make our stay memorable. His cheerful attitude and efforts to make us comfortable went above and beyond normal expectations.  

Food/Dining Experience: 

      Hats off to RCI for providing nice room service options on this sailing.  Anything that was being served in the dining room could be ordered from room service during the dining hours.  When the main dining room was not operational, a limited room service menu was also available. 

      On this ship there were still two scheduled seating assignments in the main dining room for dinner.  Lunch and breakfast in the Aquarius dining room were both open seating.  The Windjammer café served a buffet breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as afternoon tea and snacks.  Pizza, hot dogs, and burgers were served in the Solarium from 10:00 am until 6:30 pm, and again from 11:00 pm until 3:00 am.  There was a unique pizza special served each day, as well as traditional toppings.  This was quite good, as were the burgers.  There was no other alternative dining room, as there is on many ships today. 

      This ship is to be both commended and chastised for various aspects of the dining experience.  First the highlights: This is the first ship I have been on in a very long time that actually kept food hot in the buffet line.  This was particularly appreciated at breakfast where scrambled eggs, bacon, and potatoes were always a perfect temperature.   Eggs were also prepared to order by a wonderful staff of cheerful and competent cooks.  The pastry chef served some outstanding breakfast pastries that were light and delicious.  Coffee in the Windjammer café in the morning was excellent!  Food was served at a variety of stations throughout the Windjammer café, so there never seemed to be a long line, and congestion was kept to a minimum.  We ate a casual dinner one night in the Windjammer and the experience was quite pleasurable. Tablecloths and flowers adorned the tables, and a piano player provided a soothing ambiance.  The wait staff was attentive, but not overbearing, and the food was good (not great, but good).

We were assigned a table for 10, on the balcony of the Aquarius dining room for main seating. Our assistant waiter Joseph made the dining experience most pleasurable.  He was a soft-spoken, yet outgoing, gentle man, with a good sense of humor, and an ever-present smile. He consistently provided excellent service.  The food in the dining room was a mixture of excellent, to mediocre.  Appetizers and soups were exceptionally good. There were a nice variety of main dishes, and different pasta was served each evening.  Our waiter brought 3 or 4 platters of pasta each night for the table to share).   Each evening there was a beef, fowl, seafood, vegetarian, and healthy choice options on the menu. Strip steak was offered nightly as one of the alternatives. The portions were quite generous, and the dining staff was more than eager to bring seconds when requested.  At this point I have to mention again, kudos to the pastry chef.  The main dining rooms served two desserts, in particular, which were to die for: Gateau St. Honore, and Chocolate Roulade (make sure you try them both). The dining staff was able to accommodate most of our special requests.  One lady in our party asked for fresh berries for dessert the first night, and they were brought to her every night thereafter.  Another member of the party craved chocolate cake, and even though it was not on the menu, it appeared at our table.  Strangely enough, however, another of our group requested a raspberry truffle be offered as a choice once during the cruise, and they were unable to accommodate her.

      Now for the lowlights: We all ate breakfast in the dining room on the last morning aboard.  Some of us were looking forward to eggs benedict, but were disappointed.  Although it was served, the hollandaise sauce was flavorless    Lunch in the Windjammer café was mediocre, at best.  There were not a great variety of unique options, and many entrees were served repeatedly.  Our biggest complaints revolved around beverages:  Milk is apparently a commodity onboard, and was served begrudgingly, and although morning coffee in the Windjammer was excellent, dining room coffee was atrocious.  Room service coffee got mixed reviews.  Some of us (me included) felt it was much too strong, while others in our group enjoyed the full-bodied flavor. A makeshift bar was set up in the solarium, next to the pizza/burger spot, but iced tea, and lemonade were only available on the other side of the ship in the Windjammer.  A beverage station located in the solarium would have been much more convenient.

Days 1-5 (At Sea):

      Crossing the Pacific Ocean in winter is certainly an adventure.  We started out in San Diego with cloudy skies and temperature around 61.  By the time we got to Ensenada, the sun had peaked out occasionally but, it was very windy.  We departed for Hawaii about 8:00 pm, and during the night hit some very rough waters.  Thirteen to eighteen foot swells kept us rocking.  The only person in our entire group to get seasick, however, was me. I was not a happy camper on Day 2 of our journey.  It didn't help that the weather was still quite chilly, with very little sun.  The required safety drill was not held until 10:00 am on day 2, and I literally had to drag myself to the muster station.  Be advised that RCI still takes attendance at these drills; so don't try to skip out.  I am pleased to say my mal de mer was short lived, and was back to "normal" by late afternoon. I was glad since this was the first of two formal nights, and I do enjoy getting dressed up.

      One of the very nice features on this cruise was the variety of daytime activities to choose from.  "Academy at Sea" classes on theater, bar, photography, and health and fitness were offered on our sea days.  They were very popular and a nice way to keep occupied.  The "Spirit of Polynesia" offered Hawaiian craft and enrichment classes daily. Movies were shown daily at the Masquerade Theater, as well as on the room TV. Many activities were provided by the health and fitness center to keep us active.  There was much complaining about the weather, the rough seas, and the wind, but things improved immensely by day 3.  The weather seemed to improve with each mile we traveled closer to Hawaii.  This is probably a good time to share a secret.  Although the air still had a bit of a chill due to the high winds, we discovered a great place to enjoy the sun.  On deck 10 forward there is a glass enclosure that surrounds the jogging track, which acts as a wind barrier.  Protected from the harsh winds felt around the pool area, we were able to lounge and bask in the sun quite pleasantly. On our last day at sea the weather continued to improve.  By 10:30 in the morning the clouds broke, and it was sunny and warm.  Not only was the weather pleasant, but also we were treated to an unscheduled "Almost There Celebration".  From 11:30 - 12:30, poolside, "free" bloody mary's, screwdrivers, and bahama mamas were available to get us into a party mode. On our last night at sea, Hawaiian Night proved to be a great event.  The "Spirit of Polynesia" and the Moe Keale Trio entertained, while we enjoyed a sumptuous display of food, all under the stars poolside. Had I known such a nice program was being offered I might have chosen to forego the luau in Maui that we had booked.

Day 6 (Hilo):  

      Finally, we arrived at our first port: Hilo, on the Big Island of Hawaii about 7:00 am.  As this was our first port since Ensenada, we were required to first clear customs.  At 8:15 were permitted to disembark, however, it took about 45 minutes of waiting in line to get off the ship.  Once we set foot on land, we were greeted with a beautiful lei.  We had decided to forego the excursions provided by the cruise ship, and rented a car.  It is very important to plan ahead.  We had rented our car through Alamo before we left home.  Those who had not done so were sorely disappointed.  There were no cars available on the island.  In fact, even though we had reserved a car, once the complimentary shuttle van had delivered us to the airport for pick-up of our vehicle, we were to discover that due to the Tahiti Fest, a basketball tournament, and a golf tournament, our reserved car was not available.  As a Quicksilver member they were able to offer us a van in place of our requested car for the same price.  Just a word of advice, not only should you plan to reserve a car in advance, but joining one of the car rental preferred customer programs is wise (and it costs you nothing). 

      Once we were on the road, our first stop was a short scenic drive to Volcano National Park. The Kilauea Visitor Center should be first on everyone's list.  A 10-minute presentation by park service provides an excellent overview, as well as maps with recommendations for the must sees along the 11 mile Crater Rim Drive.  The Thurston Lava Tube is worth the trip alone.  About a half-hour further down the road towards Kona is the Black Sand Beach - quite impressive.  There was over a 25-degree temperature difference from the top of Kilauea to the shores of the Black Sand Beach (make sure to bring warm clothing if going to the volcano).  We then retraced our path and headed back towards Hilo to Akaka State Park to view the breathtaking Akaka Falls.  We returned our car at the airport, and a courtesy van returned us to the pier.  I would certainly recommend renting a car, rather than paying for the excursions offered through the ship.  Not only are you able to do so much more in the allotted time, it is much cheaper.  The roads, by the way, are excellent, and we encountered virtually no traffic anywhere on the Big Island.  (Strange, since all rental vehicles were taken).  As a side-note, avoid the Kapoho Snorkel Tour provided as a shore excursion at all costs.  Not only are you subjected to a 2 hour dissertation about orchids at the park, the snorkeling portion was laughable, and lunch was even worse.  We departed Hilo at 6:00 pm, heading for our next port of call, Kailua Kona.

We weren't going far, however, as part of our journey included a nighttime view of Kilauea Volcano, that can only be seen from the shoreline. So, we leisurely set out to sea, just far enough to open the casinos and shops.  At about 9:30 pm, Captain Antalis maneuvered the Vision as close to shore as possible to view the activity of Kilauea.  The lava flowing down to sea can only be seen at night.   Although the volcano was not as active as hoped, the red-hot glow emanating from the lava lit up the night sky and dotted the mountainside.  We hovered near shore for over an hour.  The Vision was repositioned a few times which allowed this spectacular sight to be viewed from both sides of the ship (another plus for having a balcony cabin).  According to the Captain, sailing past Kilauea at night is not scheduled on the eastbound Hawaii to Ensenada cruise.  A factor that one should consider when choosing an itinerary.

Day 7 (Kona):

      We arrived in Kona, the dry side of the Big Island, about 7:00 am.  We awoke to a beautiful warm and sunny day.  Kailua Kona is a tender port, so allow extra time to make it ashore.  Once again we had reserved a rental car.  The complimentary shuttle van to the airport picked us up at the pier (Unfortunately there were some miscommunications, however, and we had to wait 45 minutes for our shuttle).  Even with that minor inconvenience, renting a car was still the best option. This was to be a beach day and the best beach on the island is about 30 miles from port.  Today was just about perfect!  Hapuna Beach State Park is beautiful.  There were bathroom/changing facilities, a snack bar, beach rentals, a pristine beach, and a small, secluded lava tube alcove nestled along the shore.  After some sun and relaxation, we drove about a mile further down the shore to the Mauna Kea Prince Hotel.  This is a beautiful property, with an impressive beach, and a great spot to have lunch, or an afternoon cocktail at the beachside patio. We were treated to breathtaking scenic views as we drove back to the airport to return the car.  I know I am gushing, but I was impressed! If the beach scene is not your thing, there is plenty of shopping portside, all within walking distance of the pier. Although I did not personally participate, the Captain Zodiac Raft and Snorkel Adventure got high marks from those who did.  Once again, the ship set sail about 6:00 pm, and we were on our way to Maui.

Day 8/9 (Overnight in Lahaina):