Maureen Eschbacher

Age: 56
Occupation: Teacher/Travel Agent
Number of Cruises: 2
Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean International
Ship: Voyager of the Seas
Sailing Date: July 21st, 2002
Itinerary: Western Caribbean

This was my second cruise and my adult daughter's first cruise, selecting the Voyager was a good choice for us!

Miami - we arrived a day early, and enjoyed browsing at the BaySide Market and eating at Bubba Gumps. We stayed at the Best Western Marina. We had a port view, and that's great. It's awesome to watch the ships! The Best Western is a good choice for the budget minded or groups.

Embarkation - we arrived on time and it took about 2 hours to complete our boarding process. The building is bright and air conditioned! If you arrive a little later [3-4pm] you will not have to wait as long. My only disappointment with the pre-boarding process was the Photo. The photographer didn't take his time, to assure that the folks standing behind you weren't in your photo. He just needed a line for them to use as a guide.

Cabin - our outside cabin was located on Deck 2 mid-ship, slightly aft. The cabin was very roomy and had lots of closet and drawer space. We had twin beds, TV with remote, love seat, cocktail table, refrigerator and plenty of room to walk around. The bathroom was compact. The shower was in a round. Very neat! Plenty of towels-always!

The Ship - Oh, my... it is outstanding! You never feel like there are 4,000 plus people on this ship. It is so big, you just don't get the feeling of being in a crowd. There are so many things to do. The shows are outstanding. We had 2 celebrity shows- John Davidson and The Platters. And don't miss the Ice Show. The adult pool area is called The Solarium, and the decor is Ancient Rome and Athens. Very nice. One swimming pool and two hot tubs, and bar service of course. The main concourse area called the Promenade is very active. The shops, bars, ice cream machine and a coffee shop are located here. You can ice skate and rock climb or get pampered in the spa. Read the daily paper for spa specials. They do push the spa products aggressively, so be prepared. You can purchase a dinner wine package for $109, a 12 drink cocktail package for $47 and an adult unlimited soft drink package for $37.

Children's Club - this is second hand information. The 8 year old we had dinner with every evening loved the Children's Club. He would ask us to 'please be on time for dinner, so I can tell you about my day and return to my Club!' His mom reported that they are always busy doing fun and creative things- not watching videos! A plus for the Children's Club!

Dining - the dining room is 3 decks high with the 2 traditional seating times. We had our early seating changed with no problems. The food was good, not great! They always have NY strip steak as a back up. Breakfast and lunch are served in the Carmen Dining Room on deck 3, random seating. The Windjammer and Island Grill are also available for breakfast and lunch. And don't forget Johnny Rockets 50's Diner.

Labadee, Haiti - beautiful sand and water beach. The ship provides the drinks and lunch.

Ocho Rios, Jamaica - we selected the Ship's Excursion to Dunn's River Falls. You can catch a bus at the port for $11 r/t and $10 entrance fee at the Falls for a $13 savings. The Falls are very busy and the climb is not for the doubtful, but they do have a "dry side" for those who choose to stay dry and injury free! You can purchase wave shoes on the Voyager for $20 or at the Falls, or pack your sneakers. The craft vendors at the site are very, very pushy!

George Town, Grand Cayman - the best port of the trip! The Bermuda of the Caribbean! We selected the Ship's Excursion to the Turtle Farm, the city of Hell, and a visit to Seven Mile Beach. Shopping was great.

Cozumel - again, we selected the Ship's Excursion to the ruins of Tulum. We took an hour ferry to Playa del Carmen and then an hour bus ride to the ruins. On the way to the ruins, we stopped at a jewelry factory-very upscale and interesting.

People - everyone was very nice, helpful and informative. Our cabin steward was great. We always had towels and the cabin was always spotless.... if we left the cabin for a few minutes, we returned to find in 'all spruced up' I don't know how he did that! Our waiter was very good, he remembered our special likes and dislikes, he did a good job. The crew and staff were always available and professional. The guides were very well trained and informative.

Summary - this is a great ship, good food, professional crew and staff, lots to do and see, interesting and varied ports, a 2 thumbs up!

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